This year’s WNBA season has proven to be one of the most competitive in recent history, with multiple teams contending for the championship and impressive individual performances. Moreover, it is the time of the year for the league’s brightest stars to put on a show for the fans and receive recognition for their outstanding play.
The 2023 WNBA All-Star game is on Saturday, July 15th, at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas. The Starry 3-Point Contest and Kia Skills Challenge will occur the night before. In addition to the contests, the WNBA will host “WNBA Live,” an interactive festival for fans in the two days leading up to the All-Star game. Check out the roster and predictions for this year’s main event between two talented teams.
2023 WNBA All-Star Game Preview
All-Star Game Roster
The WNBA All-Star game is between the drafted players for Team Wilson and Team Stewart.
Team Wilson, captained by the Las Vegas Aces’ A’ja Wilson, will be represented by the players below:
- A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces, starter)
- Chelsea Gray (Las Vegas Aces, starter)
- Jackie Young (Las Vegas Aces, starter)
- Aliyah Boston (Indiana Fever, starter)
- Arike Ogunbowale (Dallas Wings, starter)
- Kelsey Plum (Las Vegas Aces, reserve)
- Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream, reserve)
- Alyssa Thomas (Connecticut Sun, reserve)
- Cheyenne Parker (Atlanta Dream, reserve)
- DeWanna Bonner (Connecticut Sun, reserve)
- Rhyne Howard (Atlanta Dream, reserve)
Team Stewart, led by the New York Liberty’s Breanna Stewart, features the following:
- Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty, starter)
- Brittney Griner (Phoneix Mercury, starter)
- Jewell Loyd (Seattle Storm, starter)
- Satou Sabally (Dallas Wings, starter)
- Nneka Ogwumike (Los Angeles Sparks, starter)
- Courtney Vandersloot (New York Liberty, reserve)
- Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty, reserve)
- Ezi Magbegor (Seattle Storm, reserve)
- Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Linx, reserve)
- Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever, reserve)
- Kahleah Copper (Chicago Sky, reserve)
Key Notes
Both teams are star-studded from top to bottom. Each team has a trio of All-WNBA players from 2022. A’ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, and Alyssa Thomas should be key contributors to Team Wilson. Meanwhile, Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Nneka Ogwumike will impact Team Stewart. Each team has players with multiple All-Star selections. However, Team Stewart brings more experience with 44 All-Star game player selections. Team Wilson has 36.
Furthermore, six players are first-time All-Stars. Kelsey Mitchell, Ezi Magbegor, Aliyah Boston, Cheyenne Parker, and Rhyne Howard will make their WNBA All-Star debuts. Rhyne Howard is a replacement for the injured Elena Delle Donne, who earns her 7th All-Star selection.
Predictions
Last year, Team Wilson won 134-112. They had more rebounds, better three-point accuracy, and more assists than Team Stewart. It seems as though these stats could predict who the winner is. Furthermore, Team Stewart added pieces to help them win in two of the stat categories. Most notably, they have Brittany Griner, the 6’9″ center, who should give them an edge in rebounds. Additionally, Courtney Vandersloot, who leads the WNBA in assists, will provide exceptional playmaking for Stewart’s squad. Wilson’s team has the upper hand in three-point shooting with Jackie Young (three-point field goal percentage leader) as a starter. It will not be enough to stop Team Stewart’s hunger for redemption. Team Stewart looks like a strong suitor for the victory.
The WNBA All-Star game begins at 5:30 PM PT/8:30 PM EST Saturday and will broadcast on ABC.
