WNBA All-Star 2024: 5 things to watch, including Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese teaming up

The 2024 WNBA All-Star Game will look a little different than the standard. For one, actual defense will be played when the 24 players are on the court at Footprint Center in Phoenix for Saturday’s showcase (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC).

It’s the second time the league will play an All-Star game in the Team USA vs. Team WNBA format, though the sides have played exhibitions in the past. The national team will head off to an exhibition against Germany in London afterwards before jetting to Lille, France, for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The WNBA team surely wants bragging rights and is tasked with testing the national team ahead of its quest for an eighth consecutive gold medal.

That alone should entice fans, but if not, here’s what else we’re looking forward to watching.

Life happens fast. It was less than two-and-a-half years ago Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese clashed in the historic 2023 national title game. Their rivalry is reminiscent of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, and each player has fervent fan clubs.

They’ll be on the same side this weekend as the first pair of rookie All-Stars since 2014. Which means we’re about to see Clark, the WNBA’s new single-game assists record-holder, feeding Reese, the league’s record double-double streak holder, with bragging rights over Team USA on the line. Could one join Shoni Schimmel, the 2014 No. 8 overall pick, as rookie All-Star MVPs?

There’s a chance Clark and Reese could be competing on the other side in the future. Clark was in contention for the team, though she was not able to participate in any senior national camps. Reese said this month she desires to play on Team USA one day.

Clark leads the league in assists (8.2 apg) and all rookies in scoring (17.1 ppg). Reese ranks second in the league in rebounds (11.9 rpg) and second among rookies in scoring (13.5 ppg). They are the leading candidates for Rookie of the Year.

Love and Basketball: AT vs. DB

Speaking of fun opponents, Connecticut’s favorite power couple is about to square off before heading to Paris. Alyssa Thomas, the Sun’s do-everything point-forward, made her first national team this year after rehabbing an Achilles in the 2021 cycle. She’ll go up against her fiancée, Team WNBA All-Star DeWanna Bonner. Bonner is making her sixth All-Star appearance in her 14th season.

The two are the focal points of the Sun’s identity, particularly Thomas. The former MVP candidate known as “The Engine” was drafted by the Liberty fourth overall in 2014 and immediately traded to Connecticut for Tina Charles. She’s spent her entire career there, where she’s yet to win a title despite Connecticut being the league’s winningest franchise from 2017-2022. This is her fifth All-Star appearance and third consecutive.

Bonner spent the first 10 seasons of her career in Phoenix after the Mercury drafted her fifth overall in 2009. The veteran wing won two WNBA titles — oddly enough in both her and Thomas’ rookie seasons — and joined the Sun via a blockbuster trade in February 2020 that was supposed to deliver the team’s final piece toward a championship. Injuries derailed their chances. Bonner is making her second consecutive All-Star appearance and third with Connecticut.

Thomas and Bonner were All-Star teammates last year and played sparingly on A’ja Wilson’s team, which lost to Breanna Stewart’s. A regular format would make this battle more fun, but it’s still enticing all the same.

Who will go off on Team USA?

Will it be Arike Ogunbowale again? Ogunbowale scored nine of her game-high 26 points in the fourth quarter for Team WNBA in the 2021 All-Star upset of Team USA. She won MVP honors in her first All-Star appearance and has played in each one since.

Ogunbowale, the Dallas Wings’ leading scorer at 22.3 ppg, trails only A’ja Wilson (27.2 ppg) and Kahleah Copper (23.2 ppg) in scoring this season. She said last month she took her name out of consideration for the national team due to “politics.”

The other contenders to light it up against Team USA? How about the whole Team WNBA roster. Ogunbowale and Dearica Hamby (19.2 ppg) are the only players in the league’s top-10 average scoring list not on the 5×5 national team. Hamby was selected to play 3×3 after Cameron Brink’s injury.

Clark is a prolific scorer who can light up the board in a hurry and has found her groove in recent weeks. Could she set an assists record against the national team she is likely to one day lead?

Nneka Ogwumike (17.4 ppg, 11th) could get the best of the national team’s forwards in her ninth All-Star appearance, the most of Team WNBA and third behind Diana Taurasi (11) and Brittney Griner (10). Jonquel Jones has put up monster games for New York.

The biggest name who could do it — and has before — is Chennedy Carter, the Sky guard who did not make the All-Star roster. She holds the collegiate scoring record with 34 points for Texas A&M against Team USA in 2019.

3×3 takes center stage

As intriguing as it will be to see Griner, a 6-9 center, go up against guards Sophie Cunningham (Mercury), Allisha Gray (Dream), Marina Mabrey (Sun) and Erica Wheeler (Fever) in the skills competition, the real news on Wednesday night was the 3×3 special exhibition.

The 3×3 national team of Hamby (Sparks), Rhyne Howard (Dream), Hailey Van Lith (TCU) and Cierra Burdick (former WNBA star) is also in camp in Phoenix and will play the USA Basketball U23 team as part of the All-Star skills festivities on Friday. The U23 team, which will compete in the FIBA 3×3 Nations League tournament in Mexico City next week, consists of collegians Cotie McMahon (Ohio State), Lucy Olsen (Iowa), Mikaylah Williams (LSU), Christina Dalce (Maryland), Morgan Maly (Creighton) and Serah Williams (Wisconsin).

The format is experiencing rapid growth as a fast-paced and quick game to watch outdoors on a half court. Unrivaled, the league Stewart and Napheesa Collier are launching in 2025, is a 3×3 format. The company is planning events in Phoenix and has public support from WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert.

In addition to the skills competition, five players will compete in the 3-point competition. They are Liberty center Jonquel Jones (39.5% ranks 10th, 4.0 attempts ranks 26th), Mystics center Stefanie Dolson (48.5% ranks second, 4.2 attempts 23rd), Lynx guard Kayla McBride (42.7%, seventh; 7.1 attempts sixth), Gray (36%, 28th; 4.8, 18th) and Mabrey, a sharpshooter who has been in a mini slump.

Griner is the only Olympian competing in the events. Most players are likely avoiding potential injuries ahead of the Games or want to focus on Team USA specifically while in camp.

All-Star hoopla continues to grow

The WNBA’s All-Star Game wasn’t always as exciting as it has been the last few years. This iteration is a little different and actual basketball will be played, defense and all. But it goes beyond the court. All-Star is an event now for players and fans alike. Phoenix appears to be leaning hard into it under its new ownership and front office, which is nice to see since women’s basketball often forgets its past.

Cheryl Miller, a Hall of Fame legend at USC, will lead Team WNBA in a nod to the league and team’s history. She was the Mercury’s first head coach from 1997-2000 and led the team to its first WNBA Finals, which it lost to the four-time champion Houston Comets dynasty. She’ll be joined on the bench by Adrian Williams, who played for the franchise from 2000-2004.

The franchise will unveil its new $70 million practice facility, an asset still a novelty for teams. The courts will be named after Taurasi, the league’s all-time leading scorer who is widely regarded as the GOAT. The All-Star court honors the Mercury and the city of Phoenix, which has been gearing up for the past year to host the annual event. That also isn’t historically common.