The starters and reserves have been revealed and the teams have been drafted for the 2023 WNBA All-Star Game, with a league-high four players from the Las Vegas Aces selected to play in Saturday’s contest (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN App) at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.
As the top two vote-getters, the Aces’ A’ja Wilson and New York Liberty’s Breanna Stewart are team captains for the second consecutive year. It is the fifth All-Star selection for both players, who drafted their teams July 8. Wilson selected Aces teammate Chelsea Gray with the No. 1 pick, while Stewart picked Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner.
An WNBA All-Star Game starter in her return season from detainment in Russia, Griner is an All-Star for the ninth time, including last year when she was named an honorary All-Star by commissioner Cathy Engelbert.
On Tuesday, Engelbert named Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard an All-Star to replace the injured Elena Delle Donne.
The Dream and Liberty each had three players selected as All-Stars. All 12 teams had at least one player selected.
How to watch
The 2023 WNBA All-Star Game will be played at 8:30 p.m. ET on Saturday on ABC. The game can also be streamed on the ESPN App.
WNBA All-Star draft results
TEAM WILSON
Starters
A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces (captain)
Chelsea Gray, Las Vegas Aces
Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces
Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever
Arike Ogunbowale, Dallas Wings
Reserves
Kelsey Plum, Las Vegas Aces
Allisha Gray, Atlanta Dream
Alyssa Thomas, Connecticut Sun
Cheyenne Parker, Atlanta Dream
DeWanna Bonner, Connecticut Sun
Elena Delle Donne^, Washington Mystics
^ Injured; replaced by Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream
TEAM STEWART
Starters
Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty (captain)
Brittney Griner, Phoenix Mercury
Jewell Loyd, Seattle Storm
Satou Sabally, Dallas Wings
Nneka Ogwumike, Los Angeles Sparks
Reserves
Courtney Vandersloot, New York Liberty
Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty
Ezi Magbegor, Seattle Storm
Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
Kelsey Mitchell, Indiana Fever
Kahleah Copper, Chicago Sky
Philippou and Voepel: Team Wilson and Team Stewart mock draft
3-point contest and skills challenge
The 2023 WNBA skills challenge and 3-point contest will be held at Michelob Ultra Arena on Friday (4 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App).
SKILLS CHALLENGE
The skills challenge will feature a new format in which four sets of All-Star teammates will compete in a set of relay competitions highlighting agility, dribbling, passing and shooting skills. All four pairings will compete in the first round of the skills challenge, with the two teams that get through the obstacle course the quickest advancing to the final round and going head-to-head for the championship.
Teams
Team Aces: Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum
Team Dream: Allisha Gray, Cheyenne Parker
Team Liberty: Sabrina Ionescu, Courtney Vandersloot
Team Wings: Arike Ogunbowale, Satou Sabally
3-POINT SHOOTING CONTEST
Six players will compete in the 3-point competition, which consists of two rounds, with the top three finishers from the first round advancing. Competitors have 70 seconds and 27 balls to accumulate points. Four racks contain four regular balls worth one point each and one “money ball” worth two points. One rack is all money balls. In the event of ties, players will participate in a 30-second tiebreaker.
Participants
* With 2023 3-point stats
DiJonai Carrington, Connecticut Sun (14-for-36, 38.9%)
Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty (54-for-121, 44.6%)
Kelsey Mitchell, Indiana Fever (48-for-129, 37.2%)
Arike Ogunbowale, Dallas Wings (51-for-171, 29.8%)
Sami Whitcomb, Seattle Storm (37-for-101, 36.6%)
Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces (50-for-103, 48.5%)
WNBA All-Star starters and reserves
Fans (50%), current players (25%) and media (25%) voted for the starters, while WNBA head coaches picked the reserves.
Starters
Aliyah Boston*, F/C, Indiana Fever
Chelsea Gray, G, Las Vegas Aces
Brittney Griner, C, Phoenix Mercury
Jewell Loyd, G, Seattle Storm
Arike Ogunbowale, G, Dallas Wings
Nneka Ogwumike, F, Los Angeles Sparks
Satou Sabally, F, Dallas Wings
Breanna Stewart, F, New York Liberty (captain)
A’ja Wilson, C, Las Vegas Aces (captain)
Jackie Young, G, Las Vegas Aces
Reserves
DeWanna Bonner, F/G, Connecticut Sun
Napheesa Collier, F, Minnesota Lynx
Kahleah Copper, G/F, Chicago Sky
Elena Delle Donne, F/G, Washington Mystics
* Out due to injury
Allisha Gray*, G, Dallas Wings
Sabrina Ionescu, G, New York Liberty
Ezi Magbegor*, C, Seattle Storm
Kelsey Mitchell*, G, Indiana Fever
Cheyenne Parker*, F, Atlanta Dream
Kelsey Plum, G, Las Vegas Aces
Alyssa Thomas, F, Connecticut Sun
* First-time All-Stars
The Aces’ Becky Hammon will coach Team Wilson, and the Sun’s Stephanie White will coach Team Stewart.
Last year, Team Wilson defeated Team Stewart 134-112 in Chicago.
Experts weigh in on starters and reserves
Should Connecticut’s Alyssa Thomas and Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier been voted All-Star starters? Which players got snubbed for the All-Star Game? Who might win MVP? More from Voepel and Philippou
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