2017 WNBA All-Star Game explained

2017 WNBA All-Star Game
Visitor:East
Home:West
Visitor Total:121
Home Total:130
Visitor Qtr1:30
Visitor Qtr2:34
Visitor Qtr3:21
Visitor Qtr4:36
Home Qtr1:35
Home Qtr2:29
Home Qtr3:32
Home Qtr4:34
Date:July 22, 2017
Arena:KeyArena
City:Seattle, Washington
Mvp:Maya Moore (West)
Attendance:15,221
Network:ABC
Announcers:Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Holly Rowe, and LaChina Robinson
Prev Year:2015
Next Year:2018
Wnba:yes

The 2017 WNBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game played on July 22, 2017. The Seattle Storm hosted a WNBA All-Star Game for the first time.[1]

Starters for this year's All-Star game were selected by a combination of fan, media, and player voting. Fans accounted for 50% of the vote to determine the starters for Verizon WNBA All-Star 2017, while current players and a media panel accounted for 25% each. Maya Moore, of the Minnesota Lynx was the overall leader in votes with 32,866, with Elena Delle Donne, of the Washington Mystics, finishing in 2nd with 31,414 votes.[2]

The Western Conference defeated the Eastern Conference with a 130-121 victory. Maya Moore was named MVP. Allie Quigley of the Chicago Sky won the Three-Point Contest.

Coaches

The Minnesota Lynx and the New York Liberty had the best records in the Western and Eastern Conferences during the 2016 season, therefore making Cheryl Reeve and Bill Laimbeer the head coaches of the Western and Eastern Conference, respectively. Due to a family matter, Laimbeer was not able to coach. Curt Miller of the Connecticut Sun was named as his replacement, by having the best regular-season record in the East as of July 10. This is Reeve's third time coaching in the All-Star Game and Miller's first.

Roster

The All-Star Game starters were announced on July 11, 2017 during SportsCenter. The All-Star Game reserves were announced on July 18, 2017 during the Seattle-Chicago game on ESPN2.

Eastern Conference

Tiffany Hayes of the Atlanta Dream and Jasmine Thomas of the Connecticut Sun were named the backcourt starters in the East, both of them earning their first All Star appearances. Elena Delle Donne of the Washington Mystics, her fourth selection, Tina Charles of the New York Liberty, her fifth selection, and Jonquel Jones of the Connecticut Sun, her first selection, were named the frontcourt starters.

The East reserves include Layshia Clarendon of the Atlanta Dream, Allie Quigley of the Chicago Sky, Alyssa Thomas of the Connecticut Sun, Stefanie Dolson of the Chicago Sky, Candice Dupree of the Indiana Fever, and Elizabeth Williams of the Atlanta Dream. With Delle Donne missing the game due to injury, Sugar Rodgers of the New York Liberty was named as a replacement. Clarendon, Quigley, Rodgers, Thomas, and Williams were all selected for the first time in their careers, while Dupree and Dolson were selected for their 6th and 2nd times, respectively.

Western Conference

Sue Bird of the Seattle Storm and Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury were named the starting backcourt in the West, earning their tenth and eighth selections, respectively. In the frontcourt, Maya Moore of the Minnesota Lynx was named to her fifth selection, along with Candace Parker of the Los Angeles Sparks and Sylvia Fowles of the Minnesota Lynx, both earning their fourth selection.

The West reserves include Seimone Augustus of the Minnesota Lynx, Skylar Diggins-Smith of the Dallas Wings, Chelsea Gray of the Los Angeles Sparks, Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury, Nneka Ogwumike of the Los Angeles Sparks, and Breanna Stewart of the Seattle Storm. With Griner missing the game due to injury, Rebekkah Brunson of the Minnesota Lynx was named as a replacement. Gray and Stewart were named to their first All-Star teams, Brunson, Ogwumike, and Griner were named to their fourth team, Diggins-Smith was named to her third team, and Augustus was named to her seventh team.

Rosters

Eastern Conference All-Stars
PosPlayerTeamNo. of selections
Starters[3]
GTiffany HayesAtlanta Dream1
GJasmine ThomasConnecticut Sun1
F/GElena Delle DonneWashington Mystics4
F/CJonquel JonesConnecticut Sun1
CTina CharlesNew York Liberty5
Reserves[4]
GLayshia ClarendonAtlanta Dream1
CStefanie DolsonChicago Sky2
FCandice DupreeIndiana Fever6
GAllie QuigleyChicago Sky1
GSugar RodgersNew York Liberty1
FAlyssa ThomasConnecticut Sun1
CElizabeth WilliamsAtlanta Dream1
Head coach: Curt Miller (Connecticut Sun)
Western Conference All-Stars
PosPlayerTeamNo. of selections
Starters
GSue BirdSeattle Storm10
GDiana TaurasiPhoenix Mercury8
FMaya MooreMinnesota Lynx5
FCandace ParkerLos Angeles Sparks4
CSylvia FowlesMinnesota Lynx4
Reserves
F/GSeimone AugustusMinnesota Lynx7
FRebekkah Brunson4
GSkylar Diggins-SmithDallas Wings3
GChelsea GrayLos Angeles Sparks1
CBrittney GrinerPhoenix Mercury4
FNneka OgwumikeLos Angeles Sparks4
F/CBreanna StewartSeattle Storm1
Head coach: Cheryl Reeve (Minnesota Lynx)
Notes

Three-Point Contest

Five contestants participated in the Three-Point Contest, held during halftime of the All-Star Game.[5] This was the first such contest held since the Stars at the Sun event that replaced the All-Star Game in 2010. Allie Quigley won the Three-Point Shootout with a Final Round score of 27 points. She defeated Sugar Rodgers, who scored 19 points. Quigley played for the Patrick Quigley Memorial Scholarship charity, which received $10,000 due to Quigley's win.

PositionPlayer[6] FromYear to ASG1st2nd
width=50Madewidth=50Attemptedwidth=50Percent
GAllie Quigley Chicago Sky 47 106 .443 20 27
G39 109 .358 22 19
F33 82 .402 11 DNQ
G38 83 .458 10 DNQ
G36 84 .429 7 DNQ

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Seattle Storm to Host Verizon WNBA All-Star 2017 on July 22. Official Release . December 14, 2016. WNBA.com.
  2. Web site: Seattle’s Bird, Five Former MVPs Selected to Start Verizon WNBA All-Star 2017. Official Release . July 11, 2017. WNBA.com.
  3. Web site: Seattle’s Bird, Five Former MVPs Selected to Start Verizon WNBA All-Star 2017. Official Release . July 11, 2017. WNBA.com. July 11, 2017.
  4. Web site: Ogwumike, Stewart Highlight Reserves For Verizon WNBA All-Star 2017. Official Release . July 18, 2017. WNBA.com. July 18, 2017.
  5. Web site: Three-Point Contest at Verizon WNBA All-Star 2017. 2021-07-16. WNBA.com - Official Site of the WNBA. en.
  6. Web site: Three-Point Contest at Verizon WNBA All-Star 2017 . July 11, 2017. WNBA.com. July 18, 2017.