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New York Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Should Caitlin Clark be a WNBA All-Star Game starter? Our experts reveal their votes
For the first time in WNBA history, All-Star Weekend is coming to Indianapolis. The city is not new to hosting major sporting events, routinely hosting Final Fours and annually hosting the NFL Draft Combine, but the arrival of the WNBA All-Star Game on July 19 comes at an inflection point for the Fever, who have rocketed in popularity over the last two seasons. Advertisement All-Star starters will be announced Monday. The league will release rankings from fan votes (50 percent), player votes (25 percent) and media votes (25 percent). The four guards and six players with the best score will be starters. Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier were named captains because they received the most fan votes. The WNBA is expected to unveil the 12 All-Star reserves, decided by the coaches on July 6. The captains will select teams in a draft broadcast on July 8. Before all that occurs, here is how The Athletic's Ben Pickman and Sabreena Merchant voted in their official ballots due last Friday, as well as how they are thinking about some critical All-Star questions. (Picks in alphabetical order according to positions) Pickman: In terms of guards, Seattle had been more than 36 points better per 100 possessions with Diggins on the floor than off it, and she already has 44 assists this season to Ogwukime, the most of any combination. Gray leads all players in win shares and is having a career-year under first-year coach Karl Smesko. Ionescu has been more efficient on offense this season, leading New York to an 11-3 at the time my votes were due. Whether to include Caitlin Clark was the toughest guard decision. At the time ballots were due, Clark led the league in assists and was fifth among guards in scoring. She also runs one of the league's most difficult actions to stop when she initiates two-player action with Boston. (Clark has 40 assists to Boston this season, second-most of any pair in the league.) Though Clark's home/road shooting splits are stark, her highs have been among the best this season. Her availability is what has given me the most pause. Clark played only nine games at the time ballots were due because of a left quad injury. (She's now missing additional time with a left groin injury.) She already has been named a captain, so debate over her candidacy is for naught, but reasonable cases can be made for Rhyne Howard, Advertisement Arguments are valid for Paige Bueckers, Brittney Sykes and Kelsey Plum to receive this spot over Clark, too. Clark has undoubtedly been one of the best guards in the league when healthy, but considering there are other players on my ballot who had played just two games more than her at the time of voting, I was willing to look past it. Merchant: Alyssa Thomas was the toughest frontcourt omission (and might have been impossible to leave out had voting not closed before Thomas' 17-point, 15-assist game Friday). However, the frontcourt pool is incredibly deep, and she couldn't overcome the missed time. If Thomas makes the reserve roster once she has played more — she currently isn't in the top 50 in total minutes played — that will feel deserved. The disqualifying factor for Clark was her inefficiency. She's shooting below 40 percent from the field and below 30 percent on 3s. When it came down to her and McBride, it was hard to choose the player who has so many more empty possessions, especially when McBride is the superior defender on the best team in the league. Apologies also to Jackie Young, who has taken on a large burden for the Aces. Ultimately, it didn't seem fair to reward teams with losing records with multiple All-Star starters. Merchant: Kayla Thornton (GSV) I considered Gabby Williams, but her inclusion feels so obvious to me that I'll make a pitch for a more unheralded candidate. Thornton has become the lifeblood of the upstart Valkyries, averaging career-best marks in points, rebounds, steals and fouls drawn at age 32. She has an almost spiritual connection with the fans in Ballhalla — nothing (other than a Kate Martin 3) seems to get them going like a Thornton bucket, especially one in transition. Crashing a forward pool that includes Shakira Austin, Dearica Hamby, Bri Jones, Thomas and Williams will be challenging, but Golden State deserves at least one All-Star, and Thornton's energy, physicality and late-game execution — she's 10th in the WNBA in clutch points per game — make her the pick. Advertisement Pickman: Brittney Sykes (WAS) Sykes is having a career-year under first-year coach Sydney Johnson. Known throughout her career as one of the league's best defensive players, Sykes' offensive game has blossomed this season. She's scoring a career-high 19.6 points per game, while shooting a career-best 41.7 percent from 3. She's also recording a career-high in assists (4.8), and is getting to the free-throw line more than anyone else in the league (9.6 attempts per game). Sykes is second among guards in shot attempts from less than five feet, converting an impressive 60.6 percent on those looks, as she attacks the rim with an aggressiveness that creates scoring chances for herself and teammates. As Sabreena mentioned, Williams is another first-timer lock, but Sykes should be, too. Brittney Sykes today 🔥 • 28 points • 6 assists • 3 rebounds • 6/12 FG • 29 minutes played — Women's Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) June 8, 2025 Pickman: Can I plead the fifth here and say no team is going to get more than three All-Stars? I would be surprised if New York, Seattle, Indiana and Atlanta don't get three each with the Lynx potentially also getting three if Courtney Williams is selected (more on that later). For the first few weeks of the season, an argument could be made for Liberty guard Natasha Cloud's first All-Star selection, but I think her candidacy suffered some in early-to-mid June. Merchant: In theory, the league's best teams should have the most All-Stars, but I expect all of Minnesota, New York and Phoenix to top out at two (apologies to the injured Jonquel Jones). It's the second tier of Seattle, Atlanta and Indiana that will probably all get three selections. It's a function of roster construction more than anything, as the top trio of teams simply has more depth, with fewer players putting up eye-popping stats. Merchant: Hamby has been excellent for the Sparks, and her motor powers the defense and transition offense. However, it's hard to see coaches voting for two players from struggling L.A., and Kelsey Plum figures to get more love with her top-10 scoring and assist averages. On the subject of bad teams, Arike Ogunbowale has been an All-Star every year since her rookie season, including winning All-Star Game MVP twice, but that streak likely will come to an end this year. Her exclusion won't necessarily be a snub considering the drop in her scoring and shooting percentages, but it is surprising in what should be the prime of her career. Pickman: My responses speaks to the above question regarding how many Lynx will make the All-Star team. For much of the season, Williams has been the second-best player on the team with the WNBA's best record. She is averaging career-highs in points (17.3) and assists (7.8) per 36 minutes, and her effectiveness in pick-and-roll scenarios with Collier (Williams has assisted Collier baskets 34 times this year) is central to Minnesota's success. Advertisement Yet, I'm keeping a close eye on whether Williams will get into the All-Star Game. She's a veteran whose per game averages don't jump off the page. How will coaches weigh Williams' case against Chelsea Gray, Thornton, Sonia Citron, Kelsey Mitchell, Kiki Iriafen or Azurá Stevens? A lot of players with strong resumes might find themselves on the cut line. (Photo of Caitlin Clark and Nneka Ogwumike: Alika Jenner / Getty Images)
Yahoo
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rhyne Howard drops ‘dangerous' take on Dream's potential for remainder of season
The post Rhyne Howard drops 'dangerous' take on Dream's potential for remainder of season appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Atlanta Dream are 7-3 on the season and recently got an 88-70 win against the Chicago Sky. In the first half of the game, the Dream started off slow and were trailing going into halftime. It was the second half where things turned up for Atlanta, and Rhyne Howard was key, as she finished the game with 36 points. Advertisement Most of the Dream's wins this season have started and ended the same way, but they've been able to do what they have to do to come out victorious. Though the Dream have been able to turn things up in the second half, they know they can take things to the next level if they play a complete game. 'I think we beat ourselves,' Howard said after their win against the Sky. 'The things that we're doing, we're only doing them during periods of time. We're only doing them during half of the games. I think once we get everything to click and put together a full 40 minutes, I think we'll be really dangerous.' In all of the Dream's wins this season, they've outscored all of their opponents in the third quarter. Things seem to improve on both sides of the ball in that period, and head coach Karl Smesko likes the trend. 'I would like to win the third quarter every time,' Smesko said. 'I think it's important to set the tone. You get out at the start of the game and you want to set the tone and get off to a good start, but sometimes the second half is even more important.' Advertisement Despite having a good record early in the season, the Dream know they have not reached their full potential yet, and once they do, it could be scary for the rest of the league. Dream still working out the kinks early in season Through ten games, the Dream are still not playing some of their best basketball, but they're in a good place right now standings-wise. 'Right now, we're still learning who Atlanta is, and that's not surprising, because it's only been a month, and we've got a lot of new players working together,' Smesko said. 'But we do want to see a lot of progress over the next couple of weeks so we can start hitting both ends of it, really get into a game plan and be able to do some things that we want to do to help us win that way, while already knowing that we can play the way we want to play.' Advertisement Players such as Brionna Jones, Brittney Griner, and Naz Hillmon are taking the most 3-point attempts per game in their careers, and are still trying to find comfort in taking those shots. Rhyne Howard is still working through her offensive game, and after her recent performance against the Sky, things could be trending upwards with her. Related: Dream's Rhyne Howard goes off for WNBA record, career-highs in gritty win over Sky Related: How Rhyne Howard's 'shooters shoot' mentality led to franchise record game vs. Sky
Hindustan Times
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Dream face struggling Sky in Atlanta, seek sixth straight home win
Chicago knows first-hand how tough it's been to beat the Atlanta Dream on their home floor this season. HT Image Aiming for a sixth straight home victory, the surging Dream look to take down the Sky for the second time in a little more than a week on Sunday. Atlanta has the league's fourth-best record while ranking third in scoring , making 132 3-pointers and holding opponents to 77.6 points per contest. On Friday, the Dream continued their home success by holding off Washington for a 92-91 victory. "To finish these games, we're going to have to be good at both ends for the entire game," said Dream coach Karl Smesko, whose squad is 5-1 at home. Atlanta managed to get the job done Friday while using another packed house to its advantage. "It's hard playing here," Atlanta forward Nia Coffey said. " will hear . We feel the energy." The Sky experienced that during an 88-70 loss at Atlanta on June 13. The Dream held a 50-31 scoring advantage in the second half. Rhyne Howard set a franchise record for one game with nine 3-pointers made and finished with 36 points. Though Allisha Gray averages a team-leading 20.2 points, Howard entered play Saturday leading the WNBA with 39 made threes. Chicago center Kamilla Cardoso scored 15 with nine rebounds at Atlanta last week, and has averaged 15.0 points in the last four games. She scored a team-high 17 during Saturday's 107-86 home loss to Phoenix Chicago's fourth defeat of at least 20 points in 2025. The Sky shot 52.6 percent from the field, but allowed the Mercury to make a franchise-record 17 3s, and committed 21 turnovers that resulted in 29 points for the visitors. Chicago star Angel Reese, who entered Saturday averaging a league-leading 11.7 rebounds, managed just two and took one shot from the field while scoring nine points. A loser in five of the last six, Chicago averages a WNBA-worst 18.9 turnovers per game. "The mentality has to be to be better the next day; to learn from the losses and grow," Sky forward Elizabeth Williams said. Field Level Media This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Reuters
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Dream face Mystics again, look to back up 33-point rout
June 19 - Meeting for the second time in a week, the Atlanta Dream will look for similar success against the visiting Washington Mystics on Friday in College Park, Ga. Atlanta (8-4) delivered a crushing 89-56 victory at Washington on Sunday before seeing its three-game winning streak come to an end on Tuesday in an 86-81 road setback against the New York Liberty. The Dream took an eight-point lead into the final quarter against the Eastern Conference-best Liberty before being outscored 26-13 over the last 10 minutes. "I'm proud of the way our team played and executed, especially for the first three quarters," Atlanta coach Karl Smesko said. "Got to give New York credit, they kept coming, they got the momentum, and we weren't able to hold them off. "For us, when you're playing a championship-level team on the road, you're not just trying to hold on, you've got to go at them and win the game. That's going to be a good learning experience for us." Coming off a career-high 32 points in the win against Washington, Allisha Gray was held to 14 in the loss, while reserve Te-Hina PaoPao led the way with a season-high 16 points. Gray leads the team -- and ranks sixth in the WNBA -- with 20.4 points per game, while Atlanta's Rhyne Howard averages 17.3. Washington (5-7) rebounded from its lopsided loss to Atlanta with a 79-72 road win over the Chicago Sky on Tuesday. After trailing by as many as 16 points in the first half, Washington outscored Chicago 47-28 after halftime. Brittney Sykes scored 20 points in the second half and 32 in the game, the most by a Mystics player this season. Washington will aim for consecutive wins for the first time since the first two games of the season, which included a 94-90 victory over Atlanta in the season opener. The Mystics also will look to avenge their worst loss since September 2021, when they lost by 34 points to the Seattle Storm. "There were a few moments here or there when we might not have played as hard as I'd like," Washington coach Sydney Johnson said of the loss on Sunday to Atlanta. "We just couldn't create our own luck and ran into a really good offensive team." Sykes leads the Mystics with 20.5 points per game, followed by rookies Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen, who each add 13.3 points. --Field Level Media
Hindustan Times
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Dream face Mystics again, look to back up 33-point rout
Meeting for the second time in a week, the Atlanta Dream will look for similar success against the visiting Washington Mystics on Friday in College Park, Ga. Atlanta delivered a crushing 89-56 victory at Washington on Sunday before seeing its three-game winning streak come to an end on Tuesday in an 86-81 road setback against the New York Liberty. The Dream took an eight-point lead into the final quarter against the Eastern Conference-best Liberty before being outscored 26-13 over the last 10 minutes. "I'm proud of the way our team played and executed, especially for the first three quarters," Atlanta coach Karl Smesko said. "Got to give New York credit, they kept coming, they got the momentum, and we weren't able to hold them off. "For us, when you're playing a championship-level team on the road, you're not just trying to hold on, you've got to go at them and win the game. That's going to be a good learning experience for us." Coming off a career-high 32 points in the win against Washington, Allisha Gray was held to 14 in the loss, while reserve Te-Hina PaoPao led the way with a season-high 16 points. Gray leads the team and ranks sixth in the WNBA with 20.4 points per game, while Atlanta's Rhyne Howard averages 17.3. Washington rebounded from its lopsided loss to Atlanta with a 79-72 road win over the Chicago Sky on Tuesday. After trailing by as many as 16 points in the first half, Washington outscored Chicago 47-28 after halftime. Brittney Sykes scored 20 points in the second half and 32 in the game, the most by a Mystics player this season. Washington will aim for consecutive wins for the first time since the first two games of the season, which included a 94-90 victory over Atlanta in the season opener. The Mystics also will look to avenge their worst loss since September 2021, when they lost by 34 points to the Seattle Storm. "There were a few moments here or there when we might not have played as hard as I'd like," Washington coach Sydney Johnson said of the loss on Sunday to Atlanta. "We just couldn't create our own luck and ran into a really good offensive team." Sykes leads the Mystics with 20.5 points per game, followed by rookies Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen, who each add 13.3 points. Field Level Media
