A Super Quick WNBA All Star Game Preview
You only get a chance to talk about a game like this every four years. The WNBA All Stars will be facing off against the WNBA Olympians as a tune up game for Paris. What do we need to watch for? Let’s break it all down.
The Rosters
Let’s review the rosters to get a closer look at the matchup.
Team WNBA:
DeWanna Bonnar
Aliyah Boston
Caitlin Clark
Allish Gray
Dearica Hamby
Brionna Jones
Jonquel Jones
Kayla McBride
Kelsey Mitchell
Arike Ogunbowale
Nneka Ogwumike
Angel Reese
Team USA:
Naphessa Collier
Kahleah Copper
Chelsea Gray
Brittney Griner
Sabrina Ionescu
Jewell Loyd
Kelsey Plum
Breanna Stewart
Diana Taurasi
Alyssa Thomas
A’ja Wilson
Jackie Young
The Matchup
We all know how good Clark is. She’s already an elite passer and she has been feeding Boston in the early part of the season. Now she gets another person to dish passes to with Reese. If Clark is in a jam, she can always kick it out to Bonnar, Mitchell, or Ogunbowale - who was the MVP last time they did this. She should be going to Paris, but for whatever reason was not considered and subsequently removed herself from the talent pool.
Team USA has plenty of good shooters as well. Copper has been on fire this season and if she starts slow, Lloyd and Ionescu can pick up the slack. Taurasi is not going to play as many minutes this time around but she is still a dangerous player. Team USA’s best passer is Gray, who may also be on a bit of a restriction as she comes back from injury. She is joined by three members of her starting five in Vegas, so chemistry will be easy to find. I give the advantage to Team USA in terms of the bigs. Wilson may be the best overall player in the league right now with averaging almost 30 points a game. This might allow Griner to come off the bench and get more favorable matchups. And of course, Alyssa Thomas can do everything. She doesn’t have the most triple doubles in history for nothing.
The All Stars took the win last time, but I don’t think history will repeat itself. I have the Olympians taking this one home and because I’m torn on who to pick for MVP, I’m going with either Wilson or Thomas. If somehow the All Stars get the win, my dark horse pick is Reese.