The great thing about the NBA All-Star Game — at least back in the day, when it was an interesting, if usually defense-free, affair — was seeing rivals playing on the same team.
Consider the 1992 NBA All-Star Game and the starting lineup for the Eastern Conference: Isiah Thomas, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley and Patrick Ewing.
This was the spring before “Dream Team” in the summer 1992 Olympic Games where all these guys played together, too. Back then, before these guys played together for their country, you’d half expect that starting lineup to get into a five-way barroom brawl if given the chance. (In fact, Thomas and Jordan’s intense rivalry is the reason the former star was left off the Olympics team.)
Now, arguably for the first time, the WNBA All-Star Game is going to have that kind of juice.
On Tuesday, the lineups for the game were released. Only two rookies — indeed, only two first-timers — made the team: Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever and Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky.
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Both of them will be on the same team. Both of them have what could be called a fractious relationship. You can see where this is going.
“Clark’s Fever had the most selections of any team, with teammates Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell also on the roster,” reported The Washington Post.
“The rest of the spots were filled by Brionna Jones of the Connecticut Sun, Arike Ogunbowale of the Dallas Wings, Allisha Gray of the Atlanta Dream, Kayla McBride of the Minnesota Lynx, Dearica Hamby of the Los Angeles Sparks and Jonquel Jones of the New York Liberty.”
The contest will pit the WNBA All-Stars against the women’s U.S. Olympic team. It’s scheduled for July 20 in Phoenix.
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“The all-star lineup was determined by a mix of votes — 50 percent fan votes, 25 percent player votes and 25 percent media votes. The top 10 vote-getters who weren’t already named to the Olympic team were automatically given spots on Team WNBA,” the Post reported.
“The top 10 vote-getters in alphabetical order were Boston, Clark, Napheesa Collier, Kahleah Copper, Hamby, Sabrina Ionescu, Ogunbowale, Breanna Stewart, Wilson and Jackie Young. Clark received the most fan votes (700,735), followed by Boston (618,680), Wilson (607,300), Stewart (424,135) and Reese (381,518).”
However, Collier, Copper, Ionescu, Stewart, Wilson and Young were already named to the Olympic squad — along with Diana Taurasi, Chelsea Gray, Brittney Griner, Jewell Loyd, Kelsey Plum, Alyssa Thomas and A’ja Wilson.
Speaking with reporters Tuesday night after a win over the Atlanta Dream in College Park, Georgia, Reese broke down in tears over the announcement.
“We won today, but they just told me I’m an All-Star, and I mean. I’m just so happy,” Reese said in an emotional clip.
“I know the work I put in. Coming into this league, so many people doubted me and didn’t think my game would translate.”
However, she said, “I trusted the process, and I believed. I’m thankful that I dropped to [draft pick number] seven and was able to come to Chicago,” she added.
I’m just so happy. … It’s just a blessing. I can’t thank my teammates and my coaches enough for just believing in me.
Angel Reese was brought to tears after she made the WNBA All-Star team ❤️ pic.twitter.com/fokFs5Uj6r
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 3, 2024
Reese’s teammates celebrated with her, as well:
You’re going to want to have a tissue box handy…trust us 🥹#skytown pic.twitter.com/Go6Y30L6Ct
— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) July 3, 2024
However, heartwarming moments aside, Clark and Reese have been bright spots on teams that have otherwise been streaky. The Fever were 8-12 as of Tuesday, while the Sky were 7-11. Both were fighting for the last playoff spot in the league.
For what it’s worth, as Fox News noted, Clark’s Fever has been 2-1 against Reese’s Sky, including a win in a game where Clark picked up a controversial hard foul from Reese’s teammate Chennedy Carter while Reese appeared to celebrate the needless hip-check.
And now the two will be teammates, if just for a day.
Get your popcorn ready.
