CHICAGO — From Candace Parker’s banked 4-pointer to, of course, Sylvia Fowles’ dunk, there were plenty of dazzling plays in the 2022 All-Star Game on Sunday.

Here are five things that stuck out from Team Wilson’s 134-112 victory over Team Stewart and the All-Star Weekend festivities as a whole.

Allie Quigley’s 3-point dominance

After Allie Quigley won her fourth 3-point shooting contest on Saturday — becoming the first WNBA or NBA player to do so — Parker said the competition should be renamed the “Allie Quigley Invitational.” She was right.

All-Star weekend results should generally be taken with a grain of salt. The competitions are supposed to be fun, and players usually take it easy on defense so as not to risk injuries (although A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum did not adhere to that when doubling Aces teammate Jackie Young on Sunday), but the 3-point contest is different.

Fatigue plays a factor when going through five racks of five balls, plus two DEW ZONE balls, in just 70 seconds. Plus, the winner has to complete the feat twice. Even the best of shooters have off days, and the chances of that happening in a 3-point contest when the circumstances are unfamiliar is pretty high.

When faced with all of those factors, Quigley’s continued dominance shows just how elite her shooting skills are.

LIGHTS. OUT.@alliequigley BECOMES THE FIRST FOUR-TIME 3-PT CONTEST CHAMPION IN WNBA OR NBA HISTORY‼#WNBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/Nfqy73ds0a

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 9, 2022

After saying she wouldn’t compete again after last season’s contest, Quigley insists she’s done for good this time. Winning one more in Chicago — where she plays for the Sky, and 35 miles from her suburban hometown of Joliet, Ill. — was the perfect way to cap her 3-point contest career.

“I’m 100 percent, 120 percent done,” she said with a smile. “This is it.”

Fans should have seen fun Skills Challenge format in person

The idea to pair Nike Nationals EYBL players with WNBA participants during Saturday’s All-Star events was genius. Not only does that level of exposure help promote the game to young athletes, but it also gives fans a glimpse of the future.

Sabrina Ionescu and NC State verbal commit Zoe Brooks put on a great show in the skills challenge, but they did so in McCormick Place, a convention center in downtown Chicago, as opposed to the Sky’s 10,387-seat home arena. So, why weren’t the contests open to the public?

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said Wintrust Arena was already booked when the league chose Chicago as the host city, and that security concerns were also a factor. Chance the Rapper’s free concert on Saturday was similarly closed to fans after the recent wave of mass shootings, including in Highland Park, Ill., a suburb of Chicago.

“Even having an outdoor festival at this very crazy time, as you see shootings and people driving into restaurants with outdoor diners and things like that,” Engelbert said.

The commissioner added that she thought Saturday’s events were a “great show,” and she understands the frustration expressed by fans.

“Last year, we didn’t have it. The year before, we didn’t even have an All-Star Game, so we’re kind of just trying to build what All-Star Weekend will look like,” she said.

However the league plans to build the event next season, it has to be accessible to fans. The product was great, and more people should have seen it.

Sylvia Fowles shines in last All-Star Game

Kelsey Plum deservedly won MVP, but Fowles easily had the play of the game. With 4:12 left in the second quarter, the 14-year veteran stole the ball from Jackie Young and ran it all the way down to the other end, where she threw down a one-handed dunk. She also dunked in her first All-Star Game in 2009, so doing it at 36 years old in her last was pure poetry.

When she got the steal, Fowles said the crowd’s energy gave her enough of a boost to complete the play.

“I think I just heard the momentum of the crowd,” she said. “I probably heard a couple of benches and seen a couple of faces on the other team and I was like, just go for it. It was just in the moment. I didn’t really think about it.”

🔨 SYLVIA FOWLES 🔨

The steal and the SLAM in her final #WNBAAllStar Game! pic.twitter.com/U5xfickXsN

— WNBA (@WNBA) July 10, 2022

Fowles, who is set to retire at the end of the season after a storied 15-year career, also scored the contest’s first points on a designed play for a 3-pointer. In her career, Fowles has only attempted one other shot from long range, which she also made.

“They had been hyping me the whole time because it was the first shot of the game,” Fowles said. “But I mean, getting out of your comfort zone a little bit, having fun, I think that’s what’s most important about this weekend.”

Kelsey Plum came to play

In her first All-Star Game, Las Vegas Aces guard Plum took home the MVP trophy after scoring 30 points, which tied Maya Moore’s 2015 record.

For fellow guard Sue Bird, Plum’s performance was unsurprising. She was on a plane when captains A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart drafted their teams for the All-Star Game, but said she thought Plum should have been the first pick.

30 PTS and a flurry of triples 🔥

Kelsey Plum set an All-Star Game scoring record (30 PTS) on her way to winning her first #WNBAAllStar MVP award! pic.twitter.com/CH4I5FZVp8

— WNBA (@WNBA) July 10, 2022

“You just knew Plum was going to come in this game and be super hungry,” Bird said. “That’s just who she is. I think she’s in a great place physically, mentally and things are starting to click for her.

“I got to see this firsthand at the University of Washington. When she has her confidence, it’s really tough to stop her and that’s what you’re seeing right now — just a really confident player.”

Brittney Griner continues to be the focus of WNBA players

It’s been 140 long days since Brittney Griner was detained in Russia, and the WNBA continues to push for her return home as she stands trial on drug charges.

Skylar Diggins-Smith dedicated her pregame outfit to Griner, wearing a sweatshirt with her friend and teammate’s face printed on the front. Griner’s wife, Cherelle Griner, was courtside, and the players all wore Griner’s name on their jerseys.

This is for you BG.

✖️ @SkyDigg4 pic.twitter.com/dQHiqIkE3h

— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) July 10, 2022

Griner, who was named an honorary All-Star, remained on everyone’s mind all weekend.

“We are all in this fight together to bring her home,” Stewart said. “And I think that when you have, like Sue (Bird) said earlier, those strength in numbers, it makes a bigger splash and we get attention and we are getting people’s attention and we need to continue to ask President Biden and the White House to bring her home.”

Eden Laase is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @eden_laase.

The first time Washington Spirit midfielder Croix Bethune experienced an NWSL playoff game at DC's "Rowdy Audi" Field, it was from the sidelines. The promising young star had experienced a major setback, injuring her MCL while throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at nearby Nationals Park — just weeks after winning Olympic gold with the USWNT. "

"Sitting in the stands watching the game wasn't ideal," she told JWS this week. "But it was still very fun and very cool, just to have that whole experience, seeing Audi full and rowdy and the fans just very excited."

Bethune's changing fortunes — she'd go on to win both 2024 Rookie of the Year and Midfielder of the Year despite her late-August season-ending injury — underlined a 2024 season of extremes for the Spirit. Washington finished second in the NWSL standings, entering the postseason confident before ultimately ceding the championship game to Shield-winners Orlando.

This year, the club is hoping to finish the job, once again locked into second place and hunting the franchise's second NWSL title. And for Bethune and her teammates, the sense of deja vu is palpable.

The Spirit emerges from a season of constant change

The Spirit underwent their second midseason coaching change in two years this past June, when manager Jonatan Giraldez left to take over fellow Michele Kang-owned club, France's OL Lyonnes. Adrián González — last season's interim coach — reclaimed the team's top leadership role, guiding the Spirit to their second straight No. 2 finish in a surprising show of consistency for a club undergoing significant change.

"Things happen, not everything is permanent," Bethune said plainly, commenting on the staffing changes "I learned this in my college recruiting process: You don't pick a school for the coach, because the coach can always move."

And while Washington added significant depth over the course of 2025 — namely bringing on international standouts like Italy's Sofia Cantore and Nigeria's Gift Monday — the roster has struggled to overcome lingering injuries and absences. Bethune officially returned to play in April, registering two goals and two assists through 20 regular-season games, but overall availability has continued to plague the squad despite the training staff's best efforts.

Captain Andi Sullivan and starting outside back Casey Krueger are currently both on maternity leave. And superstar Trinity Rodman remains questionable after a freak knock to the knee in late October — two months after originally returning from a lengthy back injury.

Bethune misses NWSL Decision Day as injury issues take a toll

Last Sunday's Decision Day loss to the eliminated Utah Royals saw even more attrition, with impact players Leicy Santos, Gift Monday, and Rose Kouassi all left off the gameday roster. Even Bethune missed Sunday's regular-season finale with a thigh injury, though she's now listed as available after training alongside club medical staff this week.

This is when experience facing adversity comes in handy for the 24-year-old. "When I'm playing, I feel like I can see everything, but when you're not playing, you can really see everything," she said, stressing the perspective she's gained from sitting on the sidelines. "Just seeing how the game should flow, or how it is flowing."

Bethune has also learned to avoid pushing her body too hard if she's not feeling 100%, a mantra that can be both frustrating and, at times, liberating.

"I feel like, over the years, I've done very well at understanding when my body is telling me something, and listening to that," she said.

Returning from injury is difficult for any player, but particularly for those as creative on the pitch as Bethune. Known for confidence on the ball, audacious passing vision in the midfield, and the ability to turn towards goal herself if she senses weakness, the Georgia grad became a household name last year thanks to a free-wheeling partnership with fellow USWNT standout Rodman.

It took some time for Bethune to re-find her footing this season, learning how to not overthink exactly what makes her such a special player.

"Feeling like myself is just feeling like Croix Bethune," she said. "Doing what I do — momentum, rhythm, cheekiness, just feeling smooth and calm in the game."

Bethune looks to lean on Spirit culture ahead of quarterfinal test

Shaky availability — and the related threat of yet again falling short of the NWSL title — still looms over the Spirit as they head into this weekend's quarterfinal matchup against an extra-motivated Racing Louisville. But Bethune thinks the Spirit can lean on their depth for that creative spark, as injured players inch closer to a healthy return with every passing day.

"We're big on our culture," she explained. "The culture that we have off the field, within the team, is very strong. And when we incorporate the staff and the coaches, we're all on the same page."

Even without a full-strength roster, the Spirit have shown an ability to bend without breaking, riding the ups and downs of a topsy-turvy season without slipping from the league's top ranks. And that level of togetherness can be difficult to derail.

"Versatility, being close — we have a lot of options," Bethune said of her team's postseason strategy. "We have a lot of people that can play a lot of different positions."

"Once we get that rhythm," she added, "it's pretty scary for the defense."

The two newest PWHL teams are re-introducing themselves this week, as the third-year league officially revealed the team names and branding for 2025/26 expansion sides Seattle Torrent and Vancouver Goldeneyes on Thursday.

"The Seattle Torrent and Vancouver Goldeneyes are bold, distinctive, and true to who we are as a league," PWHL EVP of business operations Amy Scheer said in a league statement. "Each team identity is deeply connected to its home — Seattle draws inspiration from the waterways that shape its landscape, and Vancouver from its abundance of unique wildlife."

While the Torrent's letter "S" evokes Seattle's waterways, Vancouver's branding utilizes a local city bird — the "fiercely protective Common Goldeneye" — for "its speed, strength, and precision in flight."

"The Goldeneyes name is powerful, bold, and tough," said Vancouver forward and local product Jenn Gardiner. "This identity is a perfect reflection of who we are, where we come from, and that we will be relentless to play against every single night."

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While the PWHL always planned to unveil the expansion sides' individual identities ahead of the 2025/26 season, both teams will still follow suit from the league's inaugural year by sporting generic PWHL branding throughout their debut campaigns.

In what Scheer calls "the start of an incredible Pacific Northwest rivalry," both the visiting Seattle Torrent and host Vancouver Goldeneyes will make their PWHL debuts against each other when the puck drops on the league's third season on Friday, November 21st.

How to purchase Seattle Torrent and Vancouver Goldeneyes merch

While the Torrent and Goldeneyes will don generic jerseys this season, fully branded merchandise for the 2025/26 PWHL expansion teams hit the league's online shop for fans to purchase on Thursday.

New offseason league Project B is raising more than eyebrows, with the international upstart reportedly far exceeding WNBA salaries as it builds out its pro women's basketball roster ahead of a planned 2026 debut.

According to Front Office Sports (FOS), Project B is offering athletes like inaugural signee Nneka Ogwumike multimillion dollar salaries, with indications that multi-year deals could see paydays reach upwards of eight figures.

Project B also gave the Seattle Storm star equity in the venture, putting WNBA stakeholders on edge as CBA negotiations continue to simmer Stateside.

Sources also reportedly told FOS that the budding league has already signed additional WNBA players.

While the winter league's F1-style tournament structure doesn't directly compete with the WNBA calendar, history shows that players will sometimes de-prioritized domestic league play if offered enough money to compete overseas.

One of the most notable instances of this occurred when now-retired superstar Diana Taurasi sat out the entire 2015 WNBA season after top EuroLeague side UMMC Ekaterinburg paid her $1.5 million to forgo that summer's competition.

Other offseason leagues are also making financial inroads that supersede the WNBA's current salary offerings, with 54 WNBA players set to take the Unrivaled 3×3 court in the winter league's 2026 season in January — including equity-holder Paige Bueckers.

Even more, big names like four-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson, 2024 Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark, 2024 champion Sabrina Ionescu, and two-time All-Star Angel Reese opted out of joining the 2026 Unrivaled season, leaving some speculating that seven-figure deals could see those stars instead eyeing a jump to Project B.

Ultimately, the reports of additional options for lucrative offseason contracts only increases the drama surrounding the US league's ongoing CBA negotiations, putting even more pressure on the WNBA to offer an attractive financial agreement to its athletes.

Despite missing the 2025/26 NCAA basketball season due to injury, USC superstar JuJu Watkins is staying busy, with the junior guard buying into 2026 NWSL expansion side Boston Legacy FC's investment group this week.

Besides padding her portfolio, the move also sees Watkins make history as the first-ever NCAA athlete to actively invest in a professional women's sports franchise.

"Boston Legacy FC is creating a space for women to achieve, lead, and inspire others at the highest level," Watkins said in a Thursday club press release. "I'm proud to be part of the movement pushing women's sports forward."

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The 20-year-old reigning Naismith Player of the Year now joins a Boston Legacy investment core that includes the likes of Indiana Fever center Aliyah Boston and Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams as well as three-time Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Aly Raisman and actor Elizabeth Banks.

"JuJu's investment marks a groundbreaking moment for women's sports and the power of NIL," said Legacy owner Jennifer Epstein. "She's showing that today's student-athletes aren't just building their own brands — they're shaping the future of the game."

How to become a part of Boston Legacy FC history

Fans looking to take part in NWSL history can snag seats to the first-ever Boston Legacy match at 12:30 PM ET on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

Tickets to the expansion club's debut are currently on sale at BostonLegacyFC.com.