WNBA All-Star Game will feature Wilson’s Aces vs. Stewart’s Liberty



Alexa Philippou, ESPNJul 8, 2023, 01:28 PM ET

CloseCovers women’s college basketball and the WNBA
Previously covered UConn and the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant
Stanford graduate and Baltimore native with further experience at the Dallas Morning News, Seattle Times and Cincinnati Enquirer

All four Las Vegas Aces All-Stars will headline Team Wilson in the 2023 WNBA All-Star Game and all three New York Liberty All-Stars were chosen by Team Stewart, as revealed Saturday on ESPN’s “WNBA All-Star Team Selection Special” featuring team captains A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart.

As the All-Star receiving the most fan votes, Wilson selected Aces teammate Chelsea Gray No. 1 overall, then Stewart drafted the Phoenix Mercury’s Brittney Griner No. 2.

“I mean, listen, you need to have a great point guard when it comes to games like this and I feel like she is going to be great,” Wilson said of Gray. “She’s going to be dropping dimes everywhere, going to get us in the flow. And that’s what makes a good team great, is a great point guard, so I had to go with Chelsea.”

Added Stewart: “BG is my pick just because the way that she’s continuing to carry herself on and off the court. I think we can all say it’s impressive what she’s doing and she’s a dominant presence inside. We need her dunks, we need her energy, we need her everything.”

Wilson rounded out her roster with fellow South Carolina alum Aliyah Boston (No. 5 pick) and Allisha Gray (No. 12); Aces teammates Jackie Young (No. 3) and 2022 All-Star Game MVP Kelsey Plum (No. 10); 2021 All-Star Game MVP Arike Ogunbowale (No. 7); and reserves Alyssa Thomas (No. 14), Cheyenne Parker (No. 16), DeWanna Bonner (No. 18) and Elena Delle Donne (No. 20), the latter of whom has missed time recently with an ankle sprain. Team Wilson will be led by Aces coach Becky Hammon.

Stewart selected former Seattle Storm teammates Jewell Loyd (No. 4 pick) and Ezi Magbegor (No. 13); current Liberty teammates Courtney Vandersloot (No. 9) and Sabrina Ionescu (No. 11); former UConn teammate Napheesa Collier (No. 15); Satou Sabally (No. 6), Nneka Ogwumike (No. 8), Kelsey Mitchell (No. 17) and Kahleah Copper (No. 19). The Connecticut Sun’s Stephanie White will serve as Team Stewart’s coach.

Wilson and Stewart did not seek any trades after the draft.

“My team has everything,” Stewart said. “We have everything we need.”

“My team does too!” Wilson responded. “We’re going to get the job done. We’ve got all the vibes, we check off all the boxes and we’re going to have fun.”

All-Star starters (Wilson, Chelsea Gray, Young, Boston and Ogunbowale for Team Wilson and Stewart, Griner, Loyd, Sabally and Ogwumike for Team Stewart) were voted on by fans, media and current players. WNBA coaches selected the reserves.

Teams captained by Wilson and Stewart faced off in last year’s All-Star Game in Chicago, with Team Wilson coming away with a 134-112 victory. The All-Star Game will be at Las Vegas’ Michelob Ultra Arena on July 15 at 8:30 p.m. ET, airing on ABC.



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