WNBA All-Star 2024

BY ERIN LAW

The history of the WNBA All-Star Game stretches back to 1999 when the inaugural contest was played in front of a sellout crowd at Madison Square Garden in New York.

25 years later, Team USA & Team WNBA brought the heat to Phoenix, Arizona in a way that has to make the early trailblazers of the league incredibly proud.

This year’s WNBA standouts sold out Footprint Center in record time, delivered 3.44 million TV viewers (the most-watched WNBA All-Star Game to date), and generated nearly 10 million fan votes, an all-time high.

Before the action on the court took place, however, the NBRPA made sure to give the Legends of the league their flowers and host the annual WNBA All-Star Legends Brunch. This year’s pre-game brunch was open to fans for the first time, giving both long-time and brand-new WNBA supporters the opportunity to mingle with some of the original stars of the game. This year’s brunch also included a panel discussion about some of the most pressing topics for all women, athletes or not. NBRPA Director Rushia Brown moderated the discussion and was joined on stage by Leslie Johnson, who spoke candidly about mental wellness, Anita Maxwell-Skipper, who discussed key components of financial wellness, and Bridget Pettis, who shared valuable insights about physical wellness.

After the mimosas had all been consumed and the many photo ops were complete, the NBRPA and its WNBA Legends made their way to Footprint Arena to watch the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game from the comfort of premium arena suites. Team WNBA, led by fan favorites like Caitlin Clark, Nneka Ogqumike, and Jonquel Jones, took on Team USA, led by league veterans including A’ja Wilson, Diana Taurasi, and Breanna Stewart as they finished their preparations for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

The hard-fought game and an energizing halftime performance by Pitbull dazzled fans on the Phoenix Mercury’s home court all night long. In the end, Team WNBA edged out Team USA with a scrappy 117-109 victory. Arike Ogunbowale of the Dallas Wings led the way with 34 points for Team WNBA, breaking the WNBA All-Star Game scoring record and earning her a second All-Star MVP Award.

As the game concluded and the arena emptied, Legends and their guests made their way over to Majerle’s Sports Grill (owned by Phoenix Suns Legend Dan Majerle) for the NBRPA’s post-game party. The celebration lasted well into the night with former WNBA and WBL players alike reminiscing on their playing days, sharing life updates and stories, and enjoying another heartwarming reunion within the basketball sisterhood.

Next up: the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis!

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