The 2024 WNBA All-Star Team was announced on Tuesday night, many weeks before the All-Star Game in Phoenix. All-Stars from the USA Basketball Women’s National Team will battle against WNBA All-Stars chosen by fans, media, and coaches. There was a lot of speculation about whether Caitlin Clark would make the National Team, and there was a lot of excitement when the guard did not make the cut in June. Clark, on the other hand, was named to the WNBA All-Star Team of twelve players. Angel Reese, a rookie with the Chicago Sky, did the same.
It is the first occasion since 2014 that two rookies will appear in the game.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been [Reese’s] teammate before, even with USA Basketball,” Clark told reporters Tuesday. “So I know people will be extremely enthusiastic about it, but I hope it does not take away from everyone else. This is a significant accomplishment for both Team USA and Team WNBA. “I don’t want it to be the sole focus of All-Star Weekend.”
Clark and Reese are the top contenders for the Rookie of the Year award. Clark became the quickest rookie to achieve 300 points, 100 rebounds, and 100 assists. She leads all rookies in assists per game and three-pointers. On the other side, Reese leads all players in rebounds per game and has recently posted an incredible 11 consecutive double-doubles.
All-Star status may no longer be used to determine the Rookie of the Year. They are both there!
Fever-Aces draws a strong crowd.
To little surprise, the Las Vegas Aces shifted Tuesday night’s game against the Indiana Fever from Michelob Ultra Arena to T-Mobile Arena. What was the result? The WNBA’s fifth-largest regular season game in history, with an announced attendance of 20,366. Including the playoffs, it was the most-attended game since 2007. Caitlin Clark could feel the atmosphere was different than usual.
“It was probably one of the best we’ve had, from like an energy standpoint,” Clark remarked after the Fever lost to the Aces, 88-69. “The number of people here watching the warm-ups. I can judge the enthusiasm of the audience during games, but tonight seemed different. There were crowds of people watching us warm up.”
Clark’s appeal has already led to sellouts and enormous audiences. The WNBA All-Stars were named just prior to tip-off. Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, and Aliyah Boston all made it. The latter non-rookies made their second consecutive appearance. Clark ended up leading in fan polling. Boston came in second. Together, they received 1,319,415 votes.
Reese finished fifth.
Caitlin Clark and Fever All-Stars go to work, but it’s not enough.
Indiana Fever player Caitlin Clark (22) gets fouled by Phoenix Mercury guard Sug Sutton (1) in the fourth quarter at Footprint Center.
Mitchell led all Fever scorers with 23 points on Tuesday, including five three-pointers to equal her season high. Boston recorded a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds, and she was the only Indiana player to shoot better than 50% from the floor. Clark’s 13 points ranked third, although her 1-for-7 3-point percentage typified several players’ unproductive games.
Clark’s 11 assists helped to make things better. There were moments when the Fever’s offense appeared vibrant and flowing with the rookie’s assistance. But other times it appeared flat. Indiana trailed the defending champs by only six points entering the fourth quarter. Then? The Fever managed only five points midway through the fourth. Too many Las Vegas players were overlooked.
Kelsey Plum finished with 34 points on six three-pointers. A’ja Wilson also scored 28 points. The Fever fell to 8-13, ending their five-game road trip in the middle of the season. The Fever will next host the New York Liberty on Saturday afternoon. They are 0-3 against New York.
“I think we’ve made strides in a lot of different areas that not many people can appreciate,” Mitchell said of the first half of the season. “We 12 did an excellent job from game to game, learning each other as best we could, respecting each other as much as we could, and developing a positive culture. I believe we made significant progress in that area with Game 21.”
“I think it contributes to us winning,” Mitchell said.
The Fever have won six out of their past ten games.
However, despite having three All-Stars, the Aces have four Olympians.
