W/NBA Recap: Two Nights to Remember

Wassup y’all! Ya boy (it me, ya boy) is back with another recap. Let’s get into it. 

What a weekend for the W! All-Star festivities were in Phoenix this past weekend, with the Skills Competition and the Three-Point Contest on the same night. That night belonged to Atlanta’s Allisha Gray, as she won both events. The Dream’s All-Star guard defeated host favorite Sophie Cunningham of the Mercury by 2.4 seconds in the final round. Then, Gray squared off against the Liberty’s Jonquel Jones in the final round of the three-point contest. It came down to Jones’ final shot, which missed, giving Gray the win. Gray became the first player to win both competitions in the same night. This was a truly remarkable night for 2017 first-round pick and Tokyo Olympics gold medalist. 

Speaking of Olympians, night two of the W’s All-Star weekend saw the 2024 US Women’s Basketball Team take on the WNBA’s All-Star selections. This is the second time the game has gone to this format, and the results were similar to the 2021 edition. Three years ago, Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale earned MVP honors as Team WNBA defeated Team USA 93-85. In this past game, Arike upped the score, netting an All-Star Game record 34 points. Team WNBA again beat Team USA 117-109. Breanna Stewart led Team USA with 30 points and 10 rebounds and remarked on a similar feeling from 2021. “It was like a little bit of a déjà vu feeling, honestly,” Stewart said.

Rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese also showed out in their first All-Star games. Clark nearly tied Sue Bird’s record of 11 assists, dishing out 10. Reese had her usual double-double. All in all, it was a great night and even greater weekend in Phoenix for the W. This is evidenced by the viewership, which continues to grow exponentially in every way. This past All-Star Game had 3.44 million viewers, surpassing the previous record by 2 million. The year of 2024 continues to be one of foundational and momentous growth for the W, and we can only be optimistic for its future. 

As for the women of Team USA, they will look to capture their eighth consecutive gold medal, and are still heavy favorites to do so. We wish all of the ladies much health and success as they head to Paris to face the best the world has to offer. As for the W as a whole, the Olympic break will be a time to rest and reset. Once the season resumes, the playoff push will be activated, and the games will get more intense. It should be a fun and competitive finish to the regular season. 

Olympic break Till Takes!

• It was great to see Cheryl Miller coach Team WNBA at the All-Star Game. She is basketball royalty and a living legend, and should always be treated as such. 
• As far as living legends go, Diana Taurasi is certainly one. She is going to her sixth Olympics and just recently, the Phoenix Mercury unveiled a new practice facility that is named after her. For twenty years, Taurasi has helped build that facility and fan base, and it honorable by the Mercury to name the practice court after her. 
• Aside from the W, Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier have started a 3-on-3 women’s league called Unrivaled. They already have 10 players locked in to participate, including Reese, Ogunbowale and Kahleah Copper. This, alongside Athletes Unlimited, will provide even more domestic options for the women of the W in the off-season. 

That’s it for this recap. Catch you next time with the next update!