Alyssa Thomas, DeWanna Bonner and Elena Delle Donne headline WNBA All-Star reserves
By DOUG FEINBERG
AP Basketball Writer
WNBA career triple-double leader Alyssa Thomas of Connecticut was selected an All-Star reserve by the league’s coaches Saturday.
Thomas, who will be making her fourth all-star appearance, is the first WNBA player with three triple-doubles in a season. She accomplished it in the span of seven days, including two in back-to-back games.
“There are a lot of great players in this league, so to be named one is an honor,” Thomas said.
Thomas said she honestly didn’t care that she wasn’t named a starter for the game despite being one of the top players in the league. She’ll be joined by Sun teammate DeWanna Bonner, who is making her fifth All-Star appearance.
Atlanta teammates Allisha Gray and Cheyenne Parker will be making their first appearances in the game. So will Indiana’s Kelsey Mitchell and Seattle’s Ezi Magbegor.
Other reserves chosen were Washington’s Elena Delle Donne, Las Vegas’ Kelsey Plum, New York’s Sabrina Ionescu and Courtney Vandersloot, Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier and Chicago’s Kahleah Copper.
They’ll have to wait a week to find out which team they’ll be playing on for the All-Star Game in Las Vegas on July 15. Team captains A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart will draft them next Saturday.
Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon will guide Wilson’s team and Connecticut coach Stephanie White will help Stewart’s squad.
“It will be great to do it here in Las Vegas,” said Hammon, who coached the game in Chicago last year.
Delle Donne was a two-time captain and expects to make her seventh All-Star appearance, but the first since 2019 after dealing with injuries and illnesses the past few seasons. She was happy for the chance to potentially play with former USA Basketball teammate Brittney Griner, who was chosen a starter last week.
“An All-Star Game without BG wouldn’t be right,” Delle Donne said. “I love being around her. When we played Phoenix a few weeks ago, just to see her and to see her smile was great. Hopefully, I end up on her team.”
Plum became the fourth member of the Las Vegas Aces to make the All-Star team, joining Wilson, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray. Plum scored 30 points in last year’s game and earned MVP honors.
“You better pick me or I’m going to cook you,” Plum said laughing.
New York’s starting backcourt of Ionescu and Vandersloot give the Liberty three players in the game, joining Stewart. It’s Ionescu’s second appearance, while Vandersloot will make her fifth.
Collier is having a career year for the Lynx, scoring 22.4 points a game — more than six points above her previous career best. Copper, who earned 2021 WNBA Finals MVP honors, will play in her third All-Star Game.
Other All-Star starters announced last week were Los Angeles’ Nneka Ogwumike, Dallas teammates Arike Ogunbowale and Satou Sabally, Indiana’s Aliyah Boston and Seattle’s Jewell Loyd.
All 12 teams in the league will have at least one representative in the game for the first time since 2015.
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