Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier chosen as captains of WNBA All-Star Game by fan vote
Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier will captain the WNBA All-Star Game next month the league announced Sunday.
Clark received 1,293,526 votes from fans while Collier had about 100,000 fewer.
The Indiana Fever star, who is sidelined with a groin strain, is averaging 18.2 points and a career-high 8.9 assists per game. She also led the fan voting last season, her rookie year, but the All-Star format was the U.S. Olympic team playing against a select group of WNBA stars so no captains were chosen.
Collier leads the league in scoring at a career-best 24.5 points and is fourth in rebounding at 8.4 a game.
The Fever and Lynx will play each other on Tuesday in the Commissioner's Cup final.
The 10 starters were selected from across the WNBA without regard to conference affiliation. Current players and a media panel joined fans in selecting the All-Star starters. Fans voting accounted for 50% while the players vote and the media choices each account for 25%.
The pair will draft their fellow starters from a group that will be revealed on Monday. After the starters are announced, the league's head coaches will choose the 13 reserves by voting for three guards, five frontcourt players and four from either position. Coaches can't vote for players from their own teams. The 12 reserves will be revealed next Sunday.
The two All-Star captains will then draft their respective rosters by selecting first from the remaining eight players in the pool of starters and then from the pool of 12 reserves.
Clark and Collier also led the initial fan voting with Indiana's Aliyah Boston in third. Boston finished second last season behind Clark in the fan vote.
The All-Star Game is on July 19 in Indianapolis.
___
AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
16 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Collier has 23 points, McBride 20 as Lynx dominate Sun 102-63
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Napheesa Collier scored 23 points, Kayla McBride added 20 and the Minnesota Lynx rolled to a 102-63 win over Connecticut on Sunday, the Sun's ninth straight loss. Ahead by 10 after one quarter, the Lynx scored the first 21 points of the second to lead 50-26 at halftime. Collier had 15 points in the third quarter, when Minnesota outscored the Sun 27-15. Courtney Williams had 12 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and two steals for the Lynx (14-2), who are 8-0 at home. Minnesota had 11 of 12 players score on the way to a season-high total. Only Karlie Samuelson, who sustained an ankle injury after playing three minutes in the first half, did not score. McBride had five 3-pointers, one more than the Sun, to give her 653 for her career. That moved her past Kristi Tolliver for seventh in league history. Reserve Aneesah Morrow had 16 points, 11 rebounds and five steals for the Sun (2-15), who shot 35%. Olivia Nelson-Ododa added 10 points. Most starters for both teams sat out the fourth quarter. Reserve Natisha Hiedeman had 10 points and seven assists for the Lynx, who had 27 assists on 36 baskets. Minnesota is home against Indiana on Tuesday to defend its Commissioner's Cup title. The game does not count in the regular-season standings. ___ AP WNBA:
Boston Globe
34 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier chosen as captains of WNBA All-Star Game by fan vote
The Indiana Fever star, who is sidelined with a groin strain, is averaging 18.2 points and a career-high 8.9 assists. She also led the fan voting last season, her rookie year, but the All-Star format was the U.S. Olympic team playing against a select group of WNBA stars so no captains were chosen. She learned she was captain in a phone call from WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. Minnesota's Collier leads the league in scoring at a career-best 24.5 points and is fourth in rebounding at 8.4 per game. Her daughter surprised her wearing a shirt saying 'Mama you're a All-Star,' as she scooted into the locker room with former Lynx great Sylvia Fowles right behind her to let Collier know the news. Advertisement Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (left) leads the WNBA in scoring, averaging 24.5 points per game. Richard W. Rodriguez/Associated Press 'It's really cool,' Collier said to reporters before warming up for a game Sunday night 'I went from never being a starter to captain.' This will be her fifth All-Star appearance. Before squaring off in Indianapolis on July 19, Clark and the Fever will face Collier and the Lynx on Tuesday in the Commissioner's Cup final. Advertisement The 10 starters were selected from across the WNBA without regard to conference affiliation. Current players and a media panel joined fans in selecting the All-Star starters. Fans voting accounted for 50 percent, while the players vote and the media choices each account for 25 percent. The pair will draft their fellow starters from a group that will be revealed on Monday. After the starters are announced, the league's head coaches will choose the 13 reserves by voting for three guards, five frontcourt players, and four from either position. Coaches can't vote for players from their own teams. The 12 reserves will be revealed next Sunday. 'Obviously I'm going to try and get my teammates on my team, that's the goal,' Clark said. 'Once they come out with whoever has made it and whoever hasn't, I'll get to pick and choose. I don't know how it works.' The two All-Star captains will then draft their respective rosters by selecting first from the remaining eight players in the pool of starters and then from the pool of 12 reserves. Clark and Collier also led the initial fan voting, with Indiana's Aliyah Boston in third. Boston finished second last season behind Clark in the fan vote.
Indianapolis Star
42 minutes ago
- Indianapolis Star
Captain Caitlin Clark to wear 'GM hat' for WNBA All-Star draft, eyes Fever teammates first
INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark already knows who she wants to draft to her WNBA All-Star team. 'Obviously, I'm going to try to get my teammates on my team. Why wouldn't I?' Clark said. 'That's the goal, and once they come out with whoever has made it — I don't really know how it works — but my first goal would be to have my teammates on my team.' Clark was named team captain for the 2025 WNBA All-Star game after receiving almost 1.3 million votes. Clark and Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, who was also selected captain with the second most votes, will draft their rosters on July 8 during 'WNBA Countdown." The remaining eight All-Star starters will be revealed during ESPN's NBA free agency coverage on June 30. Fever players Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell have a good chance to make the game. The All-Star game is July 19 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. 'It's cool that fans get to be part of it and have an impact on the game,' Clark said about her selection. 'It's going to be really special to be able to do it here in this city. And I think there's already been so much time and effort put in by people that aren't going to get credit for what they did to bring All-Star here. So, we're trying to make it the best All-Star the WNBA has ever had, and I know we will certainly do that.' Fever coach Stephanie White anticipates a 'nuts' environment in Indianapolis when the city hosts its first WNBA All-Star weekend. 'You saw it with the NBA and the ability for fans to show up and show out,' White said. 'Caitlin being able to be a captain, she's going to put on her GM hat. We'll see how that works out for her. But what an outstanding opportunity for our city to show up, to show love to the players in the WNBA and embrace what we love, and that's basketball.' Clark can lean on White for plenty of things, but if the two-time All-Star wants advice on which players to select after her teammates, she has to go elsewhere. 'I am not a GM, so she'd have to talk to Amber (Cox) about that,' White said. 'She gets to pick her roster, so I'll stay in my lane and let her talk to the true GMs for that.'
