Napheesa Collier named WNBA All-Star Game MVP as Group Collier

INDIANAPOLIS– Paige Bueckers lost no time at all. When the WNBA All-Star Video game started Saturday night, featuring a handful of distinct rules that consisted of a 4-point line, the Dallas Wings rookie released and nailed a 4-point shot to begin the game.It signified things to come as Bueckers and Group Collier cruised to a 151-131 triumph over Group Clark. Saturday marked the first time the league held its annual midseason showcase in Indiana, and for a state that happily declares its love of basketball is higher than the other 49, the environment stayed positive in spite of a lopsided outcome.Advertisement Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa

Collier took home the MVP honors with an efficient efficiency that mirrored the ones that have actually placed her at the forefront of the regular-season MVP discussion. The five-time All-Star finished with 36 points, consisting of 4 4-pointers, and nine rebounds. Collier’s 36 points were an All-Star Video game record, but it deserves noting that Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale’s previous record of 34 points in last year’s All-Star Game was not assisted by 4-pointers. During Collier’s trophy presentation, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s voice was muffled by loud chants of”PAY THEM! PAY THEM!”in reference to the continuous cumulative bargaining contract settlements between the WNBA and the WNBA Players Association. The players used black T-shirts with white lettering that stated”Pay United States What You Owe United States” throughout warmups to advance their message about desiring greater wages in the brand-new CBA. The existing CBA ends Oct. 31.”The players is what is developing this brand and this league, “Collier said. “There is no league without the players. Past, present, the (players )coming up– they’re the ones that have actually put in the blood, sweat and tears for the new money that’s being available in, and so we feel like we are owed a piece of that pie that we assisted to develop.”Ad Aside from CBA levering, Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray and Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum likewise had solid provings for Team Collier

with 18 and 16 points

. Plum supplied a few of the funnier minutes of the night by fouling her former Las Vegas Aces teammate A’ja Wilson as Wilson dribbled up the court in the first quarter and refusing to let her go.Adding to her shenanigans, Plum threw the ball off the back of Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell, who represented Team Clark, in the second quarter before tossing a behind-the-back

pass to Seattle Storm guard Skylar Diggins, who then dished it to New york city Liberty forward Breanna Stewart for a layup that offered Team Collier a 76-54 lead.Fellow Team Collier member and Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike scored 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting to end up being the second all-time leading scorer in WNBA All-Star Game history. The 2012 No. 1 pick and 10-time All-Star has actually now scored 116 points in the All-Star Game, routing just Lynx legend Maya Moore for the most perpetuity( 119 points ). Diggins, a seven-time All-Star, made history also. The Indiana native and 2009 Indiana Miss Basketball taped the first triple-double in All-Star Game history with 11 points, 11 rebounds and an All-Star Video game record 15 assists.Fever star Caitlin Clark was sidelined for Group Clark on Saturday with a right groin injury, however as the unofficial host of All-Star weekend, her presence was still felt before and throughout the game. The two-time All-Star received the loudest roar throughout pregame intros and invested the majority of the night cheering on her

colleagues. Nevertheless, in normal Clark fashion, she couldn’t assist however talk a little garbage. After Plum got called for a travel in the 3rd quarter, Clark instantly popped up off the bench and demonstratively simulated the referee’s traveling signal and made certain Plum didn’t miss it.Advertisement The Fever were still well represented in the All-Star Video game with center Aliyah Boston and Mitchell making their 3rd appearances. Mitchell paced Group Clark with 20 points, 2 rebounds and two helps. Boston chipped in with 9 points and six rebounds. Washington Mystics rookie Kiki Iriafen, likewise representing Team Clark, capped the night with a 4-pointer in the closing seconds. She scored 17 points off the bench as every reserve for Team Clark reached double figures in scoring.This post originally appeared in The Athletic.Minnesota Lynx, New York Liberty, Los Angeles Stimulates, Washington Mystics, Indiana Fever, Dallas Wings, WNBA 2025 The Athletic Media Business