Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese will team up on the WNBA All-Star team to play against the US Olympic team led by A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart.
The two rookies were selected on Tuesday by a combination of votes from the media, players and fans, as well as the league’s 12 coaches, to play in the game in Phoenix on 20 July.
Clark was the leading vote-getter among fans, receiving 700,735 with her Indiana teammate Aliyah Boston finishing second, 72,000 votes behind. Reese was fifth with 381,518 votes. Wilson and Stewart were third and fourth. Wilson garnered 607,300 votes and Stewart had 424,135.
Clark and Reese have been a boon for the WNBA in ratings, merchandise sales and attendance. They are also playing well on the court with Clark third in assists with 6.9 per game and Reese leading the WNBA in rebounds at 11.4 per game. It’s only the eighth time that two rookies have been on the All-Star team. The last time was when Shoni Schimmel and Chiney Ogwumike made the team in 2014.
Joining the rookies on the WNBA team were DeWanna Bonner and Brionna Jones of Connecticut, Allisha Gray of Atlanta, Dearica Hamby of Los Angeles, Jonquel Jones of New York, Kayla McBride of Minnesota, Kelsey Mitchell of Indiana, Nneka Ogwumike of Seattle and Arike Ogunbowale of Dallas.
Ogunbowale was the MVP of the 2021 All-Star game which featured the same format of the US team playing a league All-Star team. The WNBA team won that game.
The US team, which will be going for an eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal in Paris later this month, also features Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi. The two Phoenix players will get a chance to play in front of their home crowd in the exhibition game. Taurasi will be vying for a record sixth Olympic gold medal.
Three of Wilson’s Las Vegas teammates – Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young – are on the US team. Gray was on the Tokyo Olympic squad while Plum and Young both helped the Americans win the inaugural 3-on-3 gold medal.
Other returnees from the Tokyo Games include Napheesa Collier and Jewell Loyd. Several first-time Olympians will join the team with Alyssa Thomas, Sabrina Ionescu and Kahleah Copper. All three played on the American team that won the World Cup in Australia in 2022.
Every player chosen for either the US team or the WNBA squad is considered an All-Star, making this Taurasi’s 11th time in the game. She’s now alone in second behind Sue Bird for most all time. Bird was a 13-time All-Star.
The league will have a three-point challenge and skill contest the night before the All-Star game.