Latest news with #TeamCollier
NBC News
5 hours ago
- Sport
- NBC News
Napheesa Collier's record-breaking performance leads her team to victory in WNBA All-Star Game
INDIANAPOLIS — Napheesa Collier made a statement with her record play on the court and the players made one with warmup shirts for the WNBA All-Star Game. Collier scored a record 36 points to help her team beat Team Clark 151-131 in the WNBA All-Star Game that was devoid of defense but full of 4-point shots. This record offensive effort came a year after the league's annual exhibition game was a competitive contest that pitted the U.S Olympic team against WNBA All-Stars. The game capped off a weekend where negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement took center stage. Players wore T-shirts while warming up before the game that said 'Pay us what you owe us.' 'The players are taking this seriously, I think it sends a really strong message that we're standing really firm in certain areas that we feel really strong that we need to improve on. I think we got the message across,' said Collier, who was named the game's MVP. As she waited to get her trophy the crowd chanted 'Pay them more' and All-Star Brittney Sykes held up a sign saying 'Pay the Players.' Captain Caitlin Clark was unable to play for her team because of a groin injury she suffered earlier this week. She still served as ambassador for the weekend. Known for her deep logo 3-pointers, Clark would have loved a chance at the 4-point shot that was added to this game which was 28-feet from the basket. Both teams took advantage of the deep shot en route to the record-setting offensive night. They combined to hit 20 of the shots on 65 attempts. The 151 points scored by Team Collier broke the mark put up by Team Stewart of 143 in 2023 for the most in an All-Star Game. Collier's point total broke Arike Ogunbowale's previous record of 34 points scored last year. The combined total of 282 also surpassed the previous high total of 270 set in 2023. While there was little defense played, both teams challenged plays in the fourth quarter with the game not in doubt. One was successful and one wasn't. The game also featured rookies Paige Bueckers, Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen making up the largest rookie contingent at the game since 2011. Citron and Iriafen were on Team Clark, and Bueckers was a starter for Napheesa Collier's team. The replacements Kelsey Mitchell of the Indiana Fever and Jackie Young of the Las Vegas Aces were announced earlier in the day as starters for Team Clark replacing Clark and Satou Sabally of Phoenix. Mitchell received a loud ovation from the fans who were happy to have another one of their players in the starting lineup. Young didn't actually start as Gabby Williams took her spot as a starter. Young injured her hip in Las Vegas' last game before All-Star weekend. New rules Besides the 4-point shot, the game also included a 20-second shot clock instead of the normal 24 and the ability for teams to substitute during live play. There also were no free throws shot — not that there usually are many in an All-Star Game — until the final two minutes of the game. Instead players were automatically awarded the points. The only free throws were shot was by Skylar Diggins with 1:01 left in the game. She made both. Diggins also had the first triple-double in All-Star history. All four rules had been used at some point during previous All-Star Games, but not all in the same one. Stars put on show for celebrities The All-Star Game brought the stars out in Indianapolis. Rapper GloRilla performed at halftime while musicians Common and Jennifer Hudson sat courtside near WNBA legends Lisa Leslie and Tamika Catchings. Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton sat in a suite and got the loudest ovation from the crowd when he was shown on the videoboard.
NBC News
5 hours ago
- Sport
- NBC News
WNBA All-Stars make statement with warmup shirts over CBA
INDIANAPOLIS — The WNBA All-Stars wanted to send a clear message to the league on the game's brightest stage. All of the players on Team Clark and Team Collier warmed up for Saturday night's WNBA All-Star Game in shirts that read 'Pay us what you owe us.' 'We get a very tiny percentage of all the money that's made through the WNBA, which obviously is made through the entertainment we provide,' said Napheesa Collier on the decision to wear the shirts. 'So we want a fair and reasonable percentage of that.' The idea was hatched Saturday morning at a players meeting. The demonstration comes after the players and the league failed to reach a new collective bargaining agreement at an in-person meeting Thursday. The league's players opted out of their last CBA in October, and are looking for a better revenue-sharing model, increased salaries, improved benefits and a softer salary cap. After the failed negotiations, many players said there was a large discrepancy between what they wanted and what the league was offering. If a new CBA is not reached by October some players, including All-Stars Napheesa Collier and Angel Reese, have mentioned the potential of a walkout. At the end of the game, chants of 'Pay them!' broke out in the arena. Some fans held signs that read 'Pay the players,' during the game. 'We had no idea that they were in solidarity with our demonstration,' said Nneka Ogwumike, president of the WNBPA. 'I've been hearing it all weekend at the fan events, supporting us and wanting us to get our fair share of the value.' This was potentially the last time that so many players would be together in one place before the season ends — a fact not lost on the union leadership. 'This is a perfect opportunity to raise awareness for what we're doing and do it together,' Collier said. The players aren't decided whether they'll wear the shirts on their own teams over the course of the second half of the season which begins Tuesday. They hope that fans will wear them as the union announced on social media during the game that the shirts were on sale. Ogwumike was unaware that the shirts were already on sale. 'You put it out there, and you stand on business,' said Courtney Williams about the shirts. 'And we're standing on business.'
Washington Post
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Washington Post
Players make their feelings clear at record-breaking WNBA All-Star Game
INDIANAPOLIS — As players strode onto the court for pregame warm-ups at Saturday's WNBA All-Star Game, the group took one more opportunity to make a statement on the dominant topic of the weekend. Each player wore a black T-shirt that read: Pay Us What You Owe Us. Team Collier defeated Team Clark — which was without injured captain Caitlin Clark — 151-131, but story of the weekend revolved around collective bargaining negotiations.
News18
7 hours ago
- Sport
- News18
'Pay Us What You Owe Us': WNBA Players Sport Message Tees Ahead Of All-Star Match
Last Updated: Team Collier got the better of Team Clark with a score of 151-131 as the latter's skipper, Caitlin Clark, sat the game out due to a groin injury. WNBA players sent a strong message to the world on Sunday during their All-Star fixture at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indiana, USA. The players came out to warm up ahead of the game with t-shirts that read, 'Pay us what you owe us' as the topic of equal pay heats up. Team Collier got the better of Team Clark with a score of 151-131 as the latter's skipper, Caitlin Clark, sat the game out due to a groin injury. The discussions surrounding equal pay for women in sport has been a hot-ticket item with players and stakeholders jumping on the bandwagon in every given opening. 'We have the most participation in league history. I think we had close to 40 players in our league meeting," Napheesa Collier said. 'I think it just sends a really strong message that we're standing really firm on the certain areas that we feel really strongly about that we need to improve on, and I think we got that message across," she added. 'Yeah, I think for myself that was the best part of [the meeting] being in the room and there's over 40 other players in this league, and I'm sure a lot more would have loved to be in there if they were in Indianapolis," Clark said. 'And I think that's the most powerful thing is all the girls from across the league just being in that room together, like Collier said, we should be paid more." 'And hopefully that's the case moving forward as the league continues to grow. I think that's something that's probably the most important thing that we're in the room advocating about," Clark added. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Indianapolis Star
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Indianapolis Star
Did Caitlin Clark have WNBA All-Star bet with Napheesa Collier? Shot for 4-point shots. That's 20
Elle Duncan mentioned a Studbudz bet at the end of the WNBA All-Star Game Countdown show before the game and convinced Courtney Williams of the Minnesota Lynx to reveal the bet in a postgame interview. Who was the best with? Caitlin Clark. What we know: Yes, Team Collier captain Napheesa Collier and Williams said the bet with Team Clark was with none other than captain Caitlin Clark herself. Clark agreed to drink a shot for every 4-point shot that was made in the game, according to Collier. That's 20 shots — 12 for Team Collier and 8 for Team Clark. It's unclear what kind of shots they would be. Needless to say, Collier and Williams have no intention of holding Clark to the bet. Kelsey Plum Tells Studbudz joke on ABC: Plum tells joke with Courtney Williams in interview. 'Best WNBA broadcast'
