Collier breaks WNBA All-Star scoring record in win over Team Clark
Jul 19, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Team Collier forward Napheesa Collier (24) shoots against Team Clark forward Gabby Williams (5) in the first quarter during the 2025 WNBA All Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
INDIANAPOLIS - Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier eclipsed the WNBA All-Star scoring record with 36 points to lead her team past Team Clark 151-131 on Saturday, capping a two-day showcase of the league's top talent at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Collier bested the previous scoring record of 34 points set by Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale last year and added nine rebounds, marking another high point in a fantastic 2025 campaign for the league's leading scorer in Indianapolis.
Veteran guard Skylar Diggins brought more luster to the night for Team Collier, becoming the first player to record a triple-double in a WNBA All-Star Game with 11 points, 11 rebounds and 15 assists. The team's 151 points also marked an All-Star all-time high.
"We set a lot of records," said Collier, who was named the All-Star Game MVP. "It's just so fun."
Team Clark, which played without its injured namesake captain Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever, never found its rhythm on offense despite the urgings of the sell-out crowd.
The All-Star Game a year ago pitted the 2024 U.S. Olympic team against All-Stars, a marketing masterstroke that put pride on the line for players who were snubbed from the Team USA roster.
The mood was far lighter this time around, as players joked playfully on the court and took advantage of the novelty "4-point shot" at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where the hometown hero Clark sat sidelined with an injury.
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The Dallas Wings' first overall draft pick Paige Bueckers opened up the scoring as she drained a shot from the 4-point range for Team Collier and the side was up 22 points at the half to create an unassailable lead.
Players warmed up wearing T-shirts that read "Pay Us What You Owe Us," putting the spotlight on intensifying labor talks between the WNBA and its players' union over a new collective bargaining agreement.
The talks have hung over a two-day celebration of the league's rapid growth, with TV viewership and attendance soaring, and fans began cheering "Pay them!" after the final buzzer.
"The mission was accomplished because we built an incredible amount of awareness this weekend," said the Los Angeles Sparks' Kelsey Plum, who added 16 points for Team Collier. "The fans are united in what they believe we're seeking." REUTERS
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