The 2024 edition of the WNBA All-Star game is slated to profile an enthralling fight between Team USA and Team WNBA which becomes the second instance where the play format of the national side is used. That game will be seen as being the predecessor to the Olympics for the USA Basketball Women’s National Team.
In 2023, the WNBA commissioner, Cathy Engelbert stated that Phoenix would host the WNBA All-Star game next year meaning 3rd time Mercury would host an event of this caliber.
“For us, the whole story of the year- AT&T WNBA All-Star return to Phoenix after hosting it for the first time two years ago-excites us the most,” said WNBA commissioner Engelbert. “The Mercury will have its home here for this two-day extravaganza and it will help put the limelight on not only the WNBA but its shining stars too.”
Dating back to July 19-20, spectators can be guaranteed a thrilling two-day affair on Friday with the Skills Challenge intertwined with the 3-Point Contest, while the All-Star Game will be the showpiece on Saturday. Interestingly, the Phoenix Convention Center will be the site of the third WNBA Live fan event on both days.
The announcement of Team USA’s 12-player roster will follow a certain time, as it is part of the Olympic procedures. On the other hand, the Team WNBA selection process will be disclosed later, after the initial reveal.
When the Olympics happen the WNBA takes a break in the middle of the season that lasts until the end of the worldwide sporting event. Even if the commissioner withdraws from organizing these events, still, he still plans to hold tentpole events like All-Star games and will make sure they are held annually.
That upcoming encounter of Team USA vs. Team WNBA may not capture the exciting mood of the showdown that took place ahead of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. While the most memorable moment for many fans was facing off against Team USA and beating the odds, in that encounter, Team WNBA won the All-Star Game in a surprise result, thanks to Arike Ogunbowale’s outstanding MVP performance with 26 points, the game-high.
The situation was different in the 2021 All-Star Game as Team USA confronted Team WNBA for the first time. However, a year before the Athens Olympics, in 2004, and a few years before the London Olympics in 2010 similar matchups were attempted and the NBC would broadcast these games. All those appearances were not actual contests but rather the exhibition of the matches.
Likewise, ahead of the 36th season of the WNBA, this year’s celebration of the 20th anniversary of the all-star match-ups is the fourth year in a row, and the longest since the first five-year run has been from 1999 to 2003.
Comments