The Indiana Fever and Minnesota Lynx are dealing with off Tuesday within the Commissioner’s Cup Championship. And now, fittingly, every workforce’s brightest star is captaining this yr’s All-Star Recreation.
Fever guard Caitlin Clark and Lynx ahead Napheesa Collier earned that distinction for the primary time of their WNBA careers Sunday.
They did so by reeling in probably the most fan votes.
Clark obtained 1,293,526 fan votes this yr, and Collier wasn’t too far behind with 1,176,020.
The W adopted a captains format for the All-Star Recreation in 2018, ditching the normal Japanese Convention vs. Western Convention mannequin. However final yr, as was the case in 2021, the league took a one-year break from naming captains and as an alternative rolled out a Crew WNBA vs. Crew USA format forward of the Summer time Olympics.
The All-Star Recreation’s remaining eight starters might be introduced Monday evening throughout a phase of ESPN’s free-agency present, which begins at 7 p.m.
WNBA gamers and a media panel joined followers in choosing the ten All-Star starters, with out regard to convention affiliation. Right here’s the breakdown: Followers accounted for 50% of the vote, WNBA gamers represented 25% and so did the chosen media panel.
The 4 guards and 6 frontcourt gamers with the very best “rating” made up by averaging the weighted rank from the fan, participant and media votes are the All-Star Recreation starters.
The league’s head coaches will choose the 12 reserves, once more no matter convention affiliation, by submitting a poll of three guards, 5 frontcourt gamers and 4 gamers of any place. Coaches could not vote for gamers on their very own groups, although.
The names of the reserves might be introduced July 6. Two days later, on July 8, Clark and Collier will draft their respective rosters, first selecting from the remaining pool of starters after which dipping into the gathering of reserves.
Clark has missed the Fever’s final two video games with a groin pressure, however, when wholesome, she’s proven why she was final season’s WNBA Rookie of the 12 months and why she is usually a game-changing sensation. The Iowa product, who additionally led All-Star fan voting in 2024, is averaging 18.2 factors and a career-high 8.9 assists per recreation.
She kicked off the season with a 20-10-10 triple-double, one in every of her 4 performances thus far this yr the place she’s netted at the very least 4 3s. However she’s missed seven video games as a consequence of damage, the primary 5 ensuing from a left quad pressure.
Though in rivalry for the Commissioner’s Cup, Clark’s Fever are simply 8-8. Collier’s Lynx, however, are off to a league-best 13-2 file.
Collier, now a five-time All-Star, was runner-up for MVP final season and will very effectively declare the respect this time round. Regardless of lacking two video games with a again damage earlier this month, the 2024 Defensive Participant of the 12 months returned to motion Friday and stuffed the stat sheet with 26 factors, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and a pair of blocks.
She’s averaging a career-high 24.5 factors per recreation and is on tempo to win her first scoring title. Moreover, she’s posting 8.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.5 assists per contest whereas taking pictures 51.7% from the sector.
The All-Star Recreation might be performed July 19 on the Fever’s Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.