WNBA All-Star 2024: Snubs, prime questions after roster named

Standout rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are headed to Phoenix — as teammates. That is an enormous takeaway from Tuesday’s 2024 WNBA All-Star roster announcement.

Clark, the Indiana Fever guard who was April’s No. 1 draft decide, and Reese, the Chicago Sky ahead who has a WNBA-record 11 straight double-doubles — will characterize Staff WNBA when it faces Staff USA within the league’s All-Star Recreation in Phoenix on July 20 (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC).

Clark and Reese, each vying for rookie of the 12 months, have introduced loads of vitality to their groups and the WNBA, however have been considerably reluctant antagonists for the reason that 2023 NCAA closing. Each downplay the opposite as an enormous rival, however their fan bases have executed an infinite quantity of speaking about them. Now, they are going to be on the identical facet, which has “breaking the Web” potential on gameday.

Clark is one in every of three Fever gamers who made Staff WNBA, together with Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell. The Connecticut Solar even have a number of gamers on Staff WNBA: DeWanna Bonner and Brionna Jones.

Whereas the Individuals’ 5-on-5 Olympians will make up Staff USA, Staff WNBA additionally has a 2024 Olympian: Dearica Hamby of the Los Angeles Sparks will compete on the U.S. 3×3 group.

When Staff WNBA confronted Staff USA within the 2021 All-Star Recreation earlier than the Tokyo Olympics, the WNBA stars beat the Olympians 93-85, led by MVP Arike Ogunbowale. The Dallas Wings guard is again for Staff WNBA this 12 months, too.

Did the proper gamers make the roster? Have been there any All-Star snubs? What are a few of the matchups we’re trying ahead to? Michael Voepel, Alexa Philippou and Kevin Pelton break down the All-Star roster.

What was the most important snub for Staff WNBA?

Pelton: Ezi Magbegor. The truth is, a case could possibly be made that the Seattle Storm heart is probably the most egregious omission ever from the WNBA All-Star Recreation. She’s on tempo to file extra wins above alternative participant by my WARP metric than any participant not chosen throughout a 12 months the league performed an All-Star Recreation.

What makes this particularly unusual is Magbegor was an All-Star a 12 months in the past, when the Storm have been one of many WNBA’s worst groups. Enjoying with extra expertise after the Storm added Skylar Diggins-Smith and Nneka Ogwumike, Magbegor has seen her scoring common drop barely, however she’s averaging profession highs in rebounds (8.8, good for seventh within the WNBA) and blocks (2.2, third) per recreation.

Because the anchor of a top-three protection, Magbegor is a number one contender for Defensive Participant of the Yr. I had her amongst my six frontcourt picks in my official media vote, which additionally included members of the USA group. For coaches to not decide her among the many 12 spots on Staff WNBA is baffling.

Philippou: Magbegor additionally earned a vote from me for all the explanations Pelton laid out. In any other case, there aren’t a ton of apparent snubs. Fellow Aussie Alanna Smith had a robust case as a frontcourt addition, after which there was a jumble of guards (together with Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, Diggins-Smith, DiJonai Carrington, Marina Mabrey, Chennedy Carter) who have been additionally in consideration, however I would not classify any of these backcourt omissions as snubs.

Rhyne Howard (a U.S. 3×3 Olympian) was additionally within the dialog for a roster spot previous to a current ankle damage that has sidelined her indefinitely.

Is it a shock the Fever have three gamers on Staff WNBA group regardless of the place they’re within the standings?

Voepel: Not likely, all issues thought-about. There was little doubt Clark and Boston have been going to make it on fan voting. They completed within the prime 10 in voting, as did Hamby and Ogunbowale, together with six Olympians. Boston and Kelsey Mitchell have been additionally each All-Stars final season. With the followers’ votes counting for 50%, you must view the All-Star Recreation within the WNBA the identical as with different sports activities. It’s as a lot about which gamers the followers need to see as it’s about who’s perceived to be enjoying the perfect. Pleasure over the Fever has rippled by each WNBA metropolis they’ve visited, and that vitality will likely be there for the All-Star Recreation, too.

And good for the Fever. The final a number of years, they have not been a profitable franchise, not to mention a cool and common one. Proper now, there may be an simple buzz about them that longtime Fever followers are thrilled to lastly be experiencing once more.

Philippou: It isn’t essentially shocking, notably with a format the place fan voting is weighed closely. (That stated, Mitchell was a range from the league’s head coaches.) Nonetheless, in a vacuum it’s kind of perplexing {that a} 13-6 Seattle group, for instance, or the Commissioner’s Cup Champion Minnesota Lynx, solely have one Staff WNBA consultant apiece whereas the Fever, who’re nonetheless effectively beneath .500, have three.

What would be the most fascinating teammate or opponent duos within the All-Star Recreation?

Voepel: The apparent one is Clark and Reese, whose groups have met thrice already throughout the common season, together with the 2 high-profile conferences that they had within the NCAA event in 2023 and 2024. Both Clark or Reese lead all rookies in most statistical classes, and having them on the identical facet will likely be must-see TV.

The Aces (4 gamers) and Mercury (three) make up greater than half of Staff USA, and have nobody on Staff WNBA. However the WNBA squad could have Jones and Bonner taking up Connecticut teammate Alyssa Thomas for Staff USA.

Staff WNBA’s Jonquel Jones, who performs in the identical Liberty frontcourt as Breanna Stewart, will play in opposition to her and New York guard Sabrina Ionescu within the All-Star Recreation. The Lynx’s prime two gamers, ahead Napheesa Collier (Staff USA) and guard Kayla McBride (Staff WNBA), are additionally on reverse sides. Identical for Seattle ahead Nneka Ogwumike (Staff WNBA) and guard Jewell Loyd (Staff USA).

Philippou: It is also price noting that Connecticut’s Bonner and Thomas are fiancees who will likely be dealing with one another in Phoenix. They have been each All-Stars in 2023 — when Thomas proposed to Bonner in Las Vegas — in addition to in 2019 (pre-relationship and earlier than Bonner joined the Solar), however in these cases they have been on the identical group.

Which group seems to be the favourite?

Voepel: The vibe in 2021 tilted towards Staff WNBA, because the gamers had just a little chip on their shoulders in opposition to the Olympians.

However talking of “vibes,” Ogunbowale stated final month that she took herself out of the Olympic pool as a result of she thought “politics” performed a task within the group choice.

“If I do know they don’t seem to be choosing me, I am not going to maintain going to those [camps] once I know the vibe,” Ogunbowale stated on the “Nightcap” podcast. “I am not going to provide you my time if I do know the vibe.”

Not being picked for such a tough group to make is not any insult — however athletes at all times search for motivation. Staff WNBA has that, whereas Staff USA does not need to lose in an All-Star Recreation once more.

Good because the Olympic group squad is, may there be any concern that it has three members from the Mercury, a group presently below .500? We will anticipate loads of vitality from Staff WNBA. Staff USA has to match that to win.

Philippou: The Paris roster is best than the Tokyo one and has loads of chemistry enjoying with one another, whether or not it’s from earlier Olympics and even the 2022 World Cup. Even the newcomers like Kahleah Copper and Ionescu are enjoying a few of the finest basketball of their profession proper now. Staff WNBA will make issues fascinating because it did in 2021, but it surely’s onerous for me to choose in opposition to Staff USA this time.