The 2024 WNBA All-Star Sport rosters are set with Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese making their debuts within the annual showcase later this month.

Clark, the No. 1 decide by the Indiana Fever on this 12 months’s WNBA Draft, acquired probably the most votes within the fan-voting portion of the balloting. Having already gained Rookie of the Month in Could, she is main all first-year gamers in scoring (16.2 factors per recreation), assists (6.9 per recreation), and is second league-wide in 3-pointers made (56).

On Tuesday, Reese, the No. 7 decide to the Chicago Sky, was named Rookie of the Month for June. This previous weekend, she set a single-season WNBA file for consecutive double-doubles (10), and she or he led the WNBA in rebounding coming into Tuesday evening’s motion. Like Clark, Reese completed within the high 5 of the fan vote.

The 2 rookies are the one two first-time individuals within the exhibition, which is ready for July 20 in Phoenix.

“I’m simply so glad. I do know the work I put in,” Reese stated. “Coming into this league, so many individuals doubted me, didn’t suppose my recreation would translate and I wouldn’t be the participant that I used to be in faculty. … However I trusted the method and I believed and I’m grateful that I dropped to (decide No. 7) and was in a position to come to Chicago.”

It’s the first time since 2014 that two rookies will participate within the recreation.

The 12 members of the 2024 U.S. Olympic staff have been routinely granted spots within the All-Star Sport. Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi, who’s showing in her sixth Olympics, will even be enjoying in her eleventh All-Star Sport. Her teammate, heart Brittney Griner, can be showing in her tenth All-Star Sport, together with 2022 through which she was an honorary participant.

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The preliminary number of the All-Stars was carried out by means of a mixture of voting by followers (50 %), a nationwide panel of media members (25 %) and present WNBA gamers (25 %). Coaches stuffed out the rest of the roster.

The format of the sport will once more be Group USA in opposition to Group WNBA. In 2021, the final time this format was used, Group WNBA defeated the U.S. Olympic staff.

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Group WNBA:

Group USA:

Had been there any snubs?

As my colleague Sabreena Service provider and I wrote final week, deciding on Group WNBA would always be difficult. Cheap instances could be made for every of the gamers chosen. And all however one staff (Washington Mystics) has no less than one participant within the exhibition.

Attainable snubs, nevertheless, embrace Storm heart Ezi Magbegor, Lynx heart Alanna Smith and Liberty wing Betnijah Laney-Hamilton. Magbegor is within the working for Defensive Participant of the Yr honors. She leads the WNBA in whole blocks (42), is seventh in rebounds per recreation (8.7), is third in offensive rebounds per recreation (2.9), is third in defensive win shares and fourth in general win shares. Earlier this season, she recorded no less than three blocks in eight consecutive video games, the second-longest streak in WNBA historical past.

Smith anchors a Lynx protection that has the WNBA’s greatest defensive score (91.3) since 2007. This season, she has recorded new career-highs in factors, assists, steals and blocks. She is fourth in defensive win shares and can be taking pictures a career-best 46.4 % from 3-point vary. Smith and Magbegor are anticipated to be key members of the Australian nationwide staff this summer season, however with each of them not making the WNBA All-Star Sport, there is just one worldwide participant within the contest (Jonquel Jones).

“I assumed she had likelihood as nicely,” Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve stated. “She’s actually good for as nicely and we’re staff with file. … I simply know these issues aren’t simple.”

Getting into Tuesday evening’s recreation in opposition to the Lynx, Laney-Hamilton, the versatile wing for New York, led all WNBA gamers who’ve appeared in additional than 5 video games in internet score (plus-19.9). She is once more one of many WNBA’s high defenders.

Fever is most represented franchise on Group WNBA

After not having any gamers on the U.S. Olympic staff, three members of the Fever (Clark, Boston and Mitchell) have been named to Group WNBA, probably the most of any franchise. Boston, who’s averaging 13.1 factors and eight.3 rebounds per recreation, completed second within the fan vote and was routinely named to the staff as a perform of being within the high 10.

Like Boston, Mitchell is showing in her second consecutive All-Star Sport. She is averaging 16.3 factors per recreation and was among the many eight gamers named to the All-Star Sport following the coaches’ vote.

McBride, Hamby spotlight All-Star returnees

McBride, the Lynx guard, is returning to the All-Star Sport for the primary since 2019. She is Minnesota’s second-leading scorer with 15.8 factors per recreation, her highest output since 2018, and the Lynx have the Western Convention’s greatest file coming into Tuesday (14-4).

“I’m thrilled,” Reeve stated. “I assumed it was a little bit of a no brainer, however I’m thrilled when it occurs. She’s had an unbelievable season up to now. Profession-high in scoring it and simply the ways in which we rely on (her), defensively, passing, every little thing that we ask her to do, making performs off the bounce. She’s simply doing every little thing for us.”

Hamby is making her third All-Star look and the primary since 2022. Having been traded within the 2023 offseason, Hamby is showing within the recreation simply over a 12 months after the delivery of her second youngster. She leads Los Angeles with profession highs of 18.4 factors and 10.3 rebounds per recreation. She will even take part within the Paris Olympics with Group USA’s 3×3 staff.

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(Photograph: Emilee Chinn / Getty Photos)





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