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WNBA All-Star Game: Top matchups, snubs and why Team USA could go down

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The 2021 WNBA All-Star Game proceedings have been unique at every level. With the game a week away, we’ve taken some time to digest the competitive voting process and roster selections and offer our thoughts on the matchup pitting the U.S. women’s national team against the best of the rest in the league.

For the first time, the WNBA is holding an official All-Star Game the same year as the Olympics. Team USA faced a group of WNBA All-Stars in an exhibition during the 2004 Olympic year, and the “Stars at the Sun” showcase in 2010 featured the same matchup, but neither was considered a WNBA All-Star Game.

This year, every player selected to represent the U.S. in Tokyo earns 2021 All-Star accolades. That meant voters faced the challenge of identifying the 10 best WNBA players (six frontcourt and four backcourt) who are outside of the Team USA roster.

The selection process consisted of 50 percent voting by fans, 25 percent by current WNBA players and 25 percent by the media. WNBA head coaches then determined the 12 All-Stars among the top 36 vote-getters, with the caveat that coaches couldn’t vote for players on their own teams.

The 17th WNBA All-Star Game will take place at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas next Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. Here’s what you can expect from the unprecedented event.

The newbies

This year’s WNBA All-Star squad features seven first-timers: Kahleah Copper, Dearica Hamby, Brionna Jones, Betnijah Laney, Arike Ogunbowale, Satou Sabally and Courtney Williams. With them, the WNBA All-Stars have a legitimate chance to beat Team USA.

Those seven players combine for over 110 points per game and an efficient 48 percent field-goal percentage. In addition to the sheer offensive firepower of the group, these first-timers bring energy and will be hungry for a win. Combine that with the veteran All-Star returners who might have a bit of a chip on their shoulder after not making the U.S. Olympic team, and we could be in for one of the most competitive All-Star Games in the league’s history.

The matchup

In years past, the All-Star Game was an opportunity for the WNBA to showcase its top players and for the athletes to mingle and celebrate their accomplishments in a light-hearted event. It was a chance for the majority of the league to get rest while the All-Stars enjoyed themselves, playing the game cautiously enough to avoid injury.

This year, Team USA will be in the middle of its training camp in Las Vegas, tasked with building chemistry, competing and preparing to win their seventh gold medal in Tokyo. The team has pre-Olympic tune-up games against Australia and Nigeria, but neither opponent is as deep and talented as the 2021 All-Star Team.

If Team USA and the WNBA All-Stars both compete at 100 percent, it is a coin flip as to who wins. Each team has the offensive talent to score points, so whichever side goes in with a better defensive game plan will have the upper hand.

Here’s who I would start on each team:

Team USA

Sue Bird PG
Jewell Loyd SG
Ariel Atkins F
Breanna Stewart F
Sylvia Fowles C

WNBA All-Stars

Courtney Vandersloot PG
Arike Ogunbowale SG
DeWanna Bonner F
Candace Parker F
Liz Cambage C

I like this WNBA All-Star group because Courtney Vandersloot, Candace Parker and DeWanna Bonner are veteran leaders who will value defense while Arike Ogunbowale and Liz Cambage are offensive threats who have the potential to put Team USA on their heels early. The All-Stars have a slight edge over Team USA in rim protection, with Jonquel Jones’ ability to secure rebounds and guard the paint.

I’m also eyeing the Candace Parker-Breanna Stewart matchup. Watching arguably two of the best point-forwards and competitors in the world going toe-to-toe is a basketball lover’s dream.

Historically, Team USA has prevailed over the WNBA All-Star team, but we have yet to see a matchup like this one under these circumstances.

My pick: Call me crazy, but for all of those reasons, I’m going with the WNBA All-Stars.

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Nneka Ogwumike, who's recovering from an injury, was left off of both teams. (Douglas P. DeFelice / Getty Images)

Biggest snubs

It’s hard to argue with any of the All-Star selections, but the most glaring absence to me is that of Nneka Ogwumike.

It was surprising, first of all, that Ogwumike didn’t earn an All-Star nod with Team USA. The forward was left off the Olympic roster after a successful year with the national team in which she was the second-leading scorer and MVP of the 2020 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Ogwumike, who won WNBA MVP in 2016, is the only former MVP never to make a U.S. Olympic roster.

Ogwumike has played in just five games this WNBA season because of an injury. In those games, she averaged 16.4 points and seven rebounds per game on 59 percent shooting from the field. Despite the small sample size, the six-time All Star deserves to be in the conversation because of the sheer impact she makes for the Sparks, accounting for close to 25 percent of their scoring and rebounding when on the court.

Jackie Young is another player who had a strong argument to make the All-Star roster. Young is the fourth-leading scorer for the top-ranked Aces, averaging 12.8 points per game on an efficient 48 percent shooting from the field. The third-year guard is an X-factor for Las Vegas as she continues to stretch opponents defensively, shooting a career-best 39 percent from the 3-point line. Young has been a steady force on both ends of the floor, playing the most minutes (32.7 per game) and putting up the best numbers of her career.

Then there’s Marina Mabrey, the Dallas Wings guard who has emerged as a top early candidate for Most Improved. Mabrey is currently in the top 20 in the league in scoring at 14.8 points per game, including seven 20-plus point performances in the Wings’ 19 games.

Gotham FC Signs Record-Breaking Sponsorship Deal with Dove

Emily Sonnett shows off the new Dove sponsorship above her last name on her Gotham jersey.
Dove's partnership with Gotham is the brand's first major investment in a women's sports team. (Gotham FC)

Gotham and Dove are teaming up, with the 2023 NWSL champs signing a record-setting multi-year kit partnership with the beauty brand on Thursday.

As Dove's first major investment in a women's sports team, the move also ranks as the highest-ever back-of-jersey sponsorship deal in NWSL history.

While Gotham did not provide specific numbers, the contract surpasses Bay FC's then-record $500,000 deal with private equity giant Sixth Street.

Dove joins Gotham in fight to keep girls in sports

The partnership is a part of Gotham's "Keep Her in the Game" initiative, a community effort launched last August to help adolescent girls stay in sports. Dove will serve as the program's presenting sponsor.

"Dove is the ultimate leader in female strength and empowerment, and we could not be prouder to partner with the brand in a number of impactful ways," Gotham FC chief business officer Ryan Dillon said in the team's release. "We are excited to team up with Dove to create key pathways for young female athletes to stay in sports, develop confidence, and become strong future leaders."

"The partnership is taking effect at a crucial time when supporting girls in sports has never been more important."

With girls twice as likely as boys to abandon sports by age 14, "Keep Her in the Game" aims to bolster young athletes' resilience and amplify the joy and connection that happens on and off the playing field.

After impacting 30 local New Jersey and New York youth clubs and more than 500 players in 2024, the initiative is aiming to double its reach in 2025. It will also pass the proverbial mic to the young athletes themselves by creating a Youth Leadership Council.

"The data is clear: Sports build confidence, leadership skills and resilience in young women, benefiting them for years to come," stated Laura DiMiceli, the head of personal care sports marketing for Dove's parent company, Unilever North America. "Dove is committed to supporting 'Keep Her in the Game' as part of our overall mission to help young girls pursue sports and keep playing the games they love."

Unrivaled to Crown First-Ever 1v1 Tournament Champion

Lunar Owls forward Napheesa Collier dribbles the ball during an Unrivaled game.
Napheesa Collier is one of four Unrivaled players competing for the 1v1 tournament's $200,000 prize. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball will crown its first-ever 1v1 tournament champion on Friday night, when all four semifinalists take the court with a $200,000 grand prize on the line.

Vinyl guard Arike Ogunbowale will kick off the semis against Mist forward Aaliyah Edwards, before Unrivaled co-founder and Lunar Owls forward Napheesa Collier faces Rose forward Azurá Stevens. The victors will immediately advance to the night's best-of-three final series.

Notably, Friday's set puts alma mater pride on center court. A trio of UConn alums in Collier, Stevens, and Edwards will all clock in, while Ogunbowale reps Notre Dame — one of just three teams to beat the Huskies this NCAA season.

Along with those priceless bragging rights, the semifinalists are battling for a six-figure payday, though none will leave empty-handed. Each are guaranteed at least $25,000, with $50,000 on deck for the tournament's runner-up.

The players' Unrivaled teammates will also be watching with interest, as the winner's entire 3×3 team will snag $10,000 each.

Though 1v1 can feel like a schoolyard version of basketball, with this much money involved, expect the competition to rise miles above playground tussles.

Rose BC's Angel Reese defends Mist forward Aaliyah Edwards during an Unrivaled game.
Aaliyah Edwards is one of three UConn alums in the Unrivaled 1v1 semifinals. (Rich Storry/Getty Images)

Endurance could decide Unrivaled 1v1 tournament champion

Friday's format is in part a test of stamina, as players stare down a grueling schedule where the eventual winner must play either three or four 1v1 games in a single night.

To that end, Collier's elite conditioning could make her the favorite, if she can outlast Stevens in the pair's semifinal.

"Her motor is unmatched," Stevens said of Collier's endurance, a key factor in her success so far. "I try to conserve some energy in between possessions, especially when the games get really tiring."

Motors aside, Friday's title will boil down to fundamentals — and which athlete best leverages their personal skillset.

"I have to use my size and stick to my strengths," said Edwards. "It’s about imposing my will and getting the job done."

How to watch the Unrivaled 1v1 tournament finals

The inaugural Unrivaled 1v1 tournament concludes on Friday. Live coverage begins at 7:30 PM ET on TNT.

USC Beats UCLA as JuJu Watkins Ends Bruins’ Undefeated NCAA Season

USC's JuJu Watkins drives to the basket between UCLA's Janiah Barker and Elina Aarnisalo.
Watkins scored 38 points to hand UCLA their first loss of the season. (Robert Hanashiro/Imagn Images)

The last perfect DI basketball season has officially fallen, as USC phenom JuJu Watkins put up a historic performance to lead the No. 6 Trojans to a 71-60 win over then-undefeated No. 1 UCLA on Thursday.

Watkins finished the night with 38 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, and eight blocks, becoming the first DI player to register an overall stat-line so robust in 20 years.

"It took everything. It's been a rough couple weeks for me," Watkins said after the game, referencing uncharacteristic performances leading up to Thursday's rivalry matchup. "To be able to kind of snap back into it and get into my rhythm here at Galen versus UCLA, it's really all I could ask for."

"I'm really just like a kid out there and living out my dream."

Throughout the back-and-forth battle, Watkins's consistency made all the difference. She scored every one of USC's 14 second-quarter points, and helped lead a monster fourth quarter in which the Trojans slammed the door by outscoring the Bruins 24-8.

"I didn't teach JuJu any of that," commented USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb after the game. "[I] just try to put her in situations to be her best self, and she does most of that work. What I was so impressed with tonight, obviously, was just the mentality she came out with."

With the marquee win, USC now sits firmly atop the Big Ten. That said, UCLA will have a chance to avenge the loss in the pair's March 1st rematch, when that final regular-season game could decide the conference title.

Until then, the Trojans will be riding high on their Thursday night dominance.

"We'll never forget this night," Gottlieb said. "It's as good as anything I've ever seen."

UConn star Paige Bueckers dribbles the ball during a game.
UConn takes on South Carolina on Sunday. (Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)

How to watch Top 10 NCAA basketball this weekend

With no undefeated teams left in DI basketball, Watkins's performance has put the field on notice to not make any assumptions about who might end up on top.

While Sunday will see USC roll against unranked Washington and UCLA try to bounce back against No. 22 Michigan State, the NCAA slate will also serve up two huge Top 10 matchups.

First, No. 7 UConn will take their final major regular-season test when they visit No. 4 South Carolina at 1 PM ET, when Paige Bueckers and the Huskies will aim to pull off a similarly impressive USC-inspired upset.

Then at 3 PM ET, No. 5 LSU heads to No. 3 Texas, where the Tigers will hunt their first win over the Longhorns in more than 22 years.

Both elite meetings are set to air live on ABC.

Pro Women’s Lacrosse League Debuts at WLL Championship Series

A promotional graphic for the WLL Championship Series.
The WLL played its first-ever pro games at this week's Lexus Championship Series. (ESPN)

The brand-new professional Women's Lacrosse League (WLL) made its official debut this week just outside of Washington, DC, where its first-ever game saw the New York Charging take down the Maryland Charm 14-13 in the WLL Championship Series.

After the inaugural Tuesday result, the action continued on Wednesday, when the California Palms opened their WLL account by getting the better of the Boston Guard in a tight 16-15 matchup.

Founded and run by the Premier Lacrosse League, the WLL fosters top-level competition as the sport gears up for its 2028 Olympic return.

The four-team WLL Championship Series follows an Olympic-style "sixes" format. Unlike traditional lacrosse, which uses a larger pitch and 10 athletes per team, sixes employs a condensed field with six players per side.

In the Championship Series, teams are first competing in three round-robin games to determine semifinal seedings. The tournament will culminate with the knockout semifinal and final rounds on Sunday and Monday, respectively.

Team USA lacrosse star Charlotte North gestures during a 2022 World Championship game.
Team USA star Charlotte North competes for the WLL's Boston Guard. (Ryan Hunt/Getty Images)

WLL looks to level up lacrosse ahead of 2028 Olympics

Despite the competition's quick turnaround, the WLL represents a growing professionalization movement in women's lacrosse — with all involved betting big on the sport's Olympic success in LA.

When lacrosse steps back onto the Olympic stage in 2028, it will have been 80 years since its last 1948 outing — and even then, it was merely a demonstration event. The last time the sport earned medals was in 1908.

Furthermore, the sport's entire Olympic history rests in the men's game — 2028 will see women take the Olympic lacrosse pitch for the first time ever.

"We are honored to be a part of the WLL, and we couldn't be more excited to bring this game to the fans in new ways than ever before," said Boston Guard star Charlotte North in a league statement.

"We firmly believe that this is the beginning of what will be a monumental movement in the game of professional women's lacrosse, and for female athletes around the globe.... It's our time."

Former Northwestern lacrosse star Izzy Scane shoots the ball during an NCAA game.
Izzy Scane, the NCAA DI lacrosse career scoring leader, plays for the New York Charging. (Greg Fiume/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

How to watch the WLL Championship Series

The tournament's round-robin play continues with the Maryland Charm facing off against the Boston guard at 9 PM ET on Thursday, before the California Palms contend with the New York Charging at 6 PM ET on Friday.

All WLL Championship Series games will stream live on ESPN+, with Sunday's and Monday's knockout rounds airing live on ESPN2.

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