NEW YORKKKiki Iriafen, Sonia Citron, Gabby Williams, and Ayla Thornton were all selected on Sunday as game reserves, and they will all make their All-Star debuts in Indianapolis later this month.
After nine years in the league, Thornton is finally getting to play in the exhibition match. She helped the expansion team get off to a strong start after Golden State selected her from New York in the expansion draft last year.
Sandy Brondello of New York, one of the All-Star coaches, stated that it would be a huge prize for her. Although she has always been a role player, I voted for her as an alternate because she deserves to succeed in a new organization.
Despite missing time to play for France’s national team, Williams has been in the league for six seasons. This season, she’s playing well for Seattle.
Dallas’ Paige Bueckers is joined by Washington rookies Iriafen and Citron as first-year members of the All-Star team. Bueckers was selected to start. Three rookies will participate in the game for the first time since 2011.
Skylar Diggins of Seattle, Alyssa Thomas of Phoenix, Rhyne Howard of Atlanta, Kelsey Mitchell of Indiana, Kelsey Plum of Los Angeles, Courtney Williams of Minnesota, Jackie Young of Las Vegas, and Angel Reese of Chicago are among the other reserves selected.
Diggins, who will be making her sixth All-Star appearance, noted that playing with teammates Williams and Nneka Ogwumike meant a lot to her.
Each of the 13 head coaches in the WNBA cast a vote for three guards, five frontcourt players, and four players at either position, regardless of conference, to choose the reserves. It was impossible for the coaches to vote for their own players.
On July 19, captains Napheesa Collier and Caitlin Clark will select their teams for the All-Star Game. Breanna Stewart, A’ja Wilson, Bueckers, Ogwumike, Allisha Gray, Sabrina Ionescu, Satou Sabally, and Aliyah Boston are the first eight starters from which they will select.
On Tuesday, the All-Star teams will be announced.
Notable athletes like Brittney Sykes of Washington, Brionna Jones of Atlanta, Natasha Cloud of New York, and Dearica Hamby of Los Angeles were not included in the squad.
The only team that did not receive an All-Star pick was Connecticut.
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