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Michael Voepel
Multiple Authors
CHICAGO — Jonquel Jones set a new milestone. Caitlin Clark drained five shots from deep. Meanwhile, Olivia Miles delivered another stellar showing to bolster her Rookie of the Year credentials.
This three-player effort propelled Team Spoon to a 129-122 victory against Team Coop during Saturday’s WNBA All-Star showcase at the United Center.
Entering the game as a reserve, Jones fell just two assists short of recording a triple-double and captured the MVP award, offering a bright spot after a difficult week marked by the passing of her aunt.
Team Coop put on an impressive show as well, highlighted by Dominique Malonga’s slam dunk and a game-best 28-point performance from Kelsey Mitchell.
Below is an in-depth review of each athlete’s performance in Saturday’s matchup.
Quick links: Team Spoon | Team Coop | 3-point contest | Shooting Stars
Winners: Team Spoon
Jonquel Jones, F, New York Liberty
Grade: A+
Amid an emotionally heavy weekend following the loss of her aunt, Jones put together an outstanding performance on Saturday to secure yet another MVP honor. She stands alone as the sole athlete to claim MVP titles in the regular season (2021), the Commissioner’s Cup (2023), the WNBA Finals (2024), and the All-Star showcase. Her final stat line featured 22 points, 13 boards, and eight assists.
Olivia Miles, G, Minnesota Lynx
Grade: A+
As the lone first-year player selected for this showcase, Miles maintained the elite level of play that has guided the Lynx to the league’s top record. She contributed 11 points on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting effort, alongside 12 rebounds, eight assists, and a pair of steals. While her status as a Rookie of the Year frontrunner was already secure, this display serves as another remarkable milestone in her debut season.
Caitlin Clark, G, Indiana Fever
Grade: A
An injury kept Clark sidelined during the previous season’s All-Star event in her home venue of Indianapolis. She immediately made up for lost time on Saturday, netting 11 of her team’s initial 13 points. Clark ended the night with 17 points, five assists, and four rebounds. She launched a game-high 15 attempts from three-point range, converting five, with several coming from extreme distances even by her standards. Nevertheless, a warm interaction with former President Barack Obama on Friday may stand out as her favorite memory of the weekend.
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Caitlin Clark drills three consecutive long-range shots from the logo
Allisha Gray, G, Atlanta Dream
Grade: A
Few athletes consistently deliver such high-level output with as little fanfare as Gray. On Saturday, she logged 19 points in just 21 minutes on the court, hitting 7-of-14 from the floor and 5-of-9 from long range. She also chipped in two rebounds and two assists. Her contributions remain absolutely vital for Atlanta as they head into the latter part of the schedule.
Nneka Ogwumike, F, Los Angeles Sparks
Grade: A
By scoring 11 points and grabbing nine rebounds, Ogwumike established herself as the highest-scoring player in WNBA All-Star history with 127 career points. In doing so, she overtook three-time MVP Maya Moore, who accumulated 119 points. Marking her 11th appearance in the showcase, the top selection of the 2012 draft continues to shine at 36 years old while simultaneously serving as the head of the players’ union.
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Nneka Ogwumike claims the record for career points scored in the WNBA All-Star Game
Courtney Williams, G, Minnesota Lynx
Grade: A-
In addition to hosting a lively StudBudz broadcast during the festivities alongside Seattle’s Natisha Hiedeman, Williams shined on the court with a 12-point, seven-assist performance. She has provided essential veteran leadership for Minnesota during their dominant campaign.
Kiki Iriafen, F, Washington Mystics
Grade: B+
Iriafen secured her second All-Star selection in as many years, proving to be a cornerstone of Washington’s emerging core. She contributed 10 points on efficient 5-of-8 shooting alongside six boards. This follows her debut All-Star performance last year, where she recorded 17 points and 10 rebounds.
A’ja Wilson, C, Las Vegas Aces
Grade: B+
Following a relatively quiet performance in the previous year’s exhibition (recording four points, two rebounds, and two assists in 12 minutes), Wilson capitalized on her limited court time this time around. Over 14 minutes, she racked up 12 points, three boards, and a block—which she playfully admitted was unintentional. She also cracked jokes about securing bragging rights over her Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon and Aces teammate Jackie Young from the opposing squad.
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A’ja Wilson lightheartedly teases Aces head coach Becky Hammon following the victory
Jessica Shepard, F, Dallas Wings
Grade: B
Shepard is enjoying a career-best campaign, thriving in what she describes as a perfect role in Dallas. Making her All-Star debut at age 29 during her sixth season, she delivered seven points on a perfect shooting night, complemented by five rebounds and five assists. Shepard has already logged four triple-doubles this year, including a dominant 18-point, 15-rebound, 10-assist game on Wednesday against Portland.
Rhyne Howard, G, Atlanta Dream
Grade: C+
Howard put together an eight-point, three-assist, and three-rebound stat line. While it was a decent showing, she struggled from deep, hitting just two of her 11 attempts. Regardless, she remains second overall in the league for three-pointers made this year with 79.
Aliyah Boston, F/C, Indiana Fever
Grade: no grade
Logging only five minutes and attempting a single shot, Boston went scoreless but grabbed one rebound. Although this was a quiet outing for her, she continues to put up impressive regular-season numbers, averaging 17.3 points and 8.5 boards as Indiana’s primary post player.
1:07
TEAM COOP vs. TEAM SPOON – Match Highlights
Losers: Team Coop
Kelsey Mitchell, G, Indiana Fever
Grade: A+
Had Team Coop emerged victorious, Indiana’s premier shooter likely would have taken home the MVP honors. Even in defeat, she deserves top marks after leading all scorers with 28 points on 11-of-19 shooting, which included five makes on 11 long-distance attempts. Mitchell also recorded five steals, four rebounds, and two assists. This season, she boasts averages of 23.3 points while shooting 49.8% from the field and 42.5% from beyond the arc.
Dominique Malonga, C, Seattle Storm
Grade: A+
At only 20 years old and participating in her debut All-Star event, Malonga set a record as the youngest player to achieve a double-double in the game’s history. She racked up 12 points and 13 rebounds during her 16 minutes on the court. The highlight of her night came in the second quarter with a historic dunk, making her the youngest athlete to throw one down in this showcase. The second overall pick from the 2025 draft promises to be an incredibly exciting talent to follow in the years ahead.
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Dominique Malonga executes a slam dunk during the WNBA All-Star Game
Marina Mabrey, G, Toronto Tempo
Grade: A
Earning her inaugural All-Star nod at age 29, Mabrey has established herself as the centerpiece of the new Toronto franchise, even matching the league’s single-game scoring high of 53 points earlier this year. As one of five Notre Dame alumni on the court, she put on a show just a short distance from her old college stomping grounds in South Bend. She amassed 23 points by hitting 9-of-21 attempts, including five from deep, while contributing three boards and two assists.
1:01
Marina Mabrey sinks five shots from beyond the arc in the opening period
Gabby Williams, F, Golden State Valkyries
Grade: A
Williams has acclimated beautifully in her initial campaign with Golden State, cementing her reputation as an elite defender. She also showcased her offensive prowess on Saturday, generating 18 points, six assists, and five rebounds.
Paige Bueckers, G, Dallas Wings
Grade: B+
Bueckers displayed pure joy on the court, highlighted by an ingenious between-the-legs dish to Breanna Stewart (though the shot didn’t fall to secure the assist). She finished the night with 12 points on 5-of-11 shooting and distributed seven assists, improving on her six-point, eight-assist stat line from her rookie All-Star appearance last season.
Sonia Citron, G, Washington Mystics
Grade: B
Mirroring the paths of Bueckers and Iriafen, Citron also debuted as an All-Star rookie in the previous year. Although she logged just 11 minutes Saturday, she made them count by scoring eight points on a perfect 3-of-3 shooting night and dishing two assists. Along with Iriafen, she forms a vital part of Washington’s bright future. In last summer’s showcase, Citron compiled 11 points, two rebounds, and two assists.
Breanna Stewart, F, New York Liberty
Grade: B
Despite being held to just six points on 3-of-7 shooting, Stewart made her presence felt with 13 rebounds and seven assists. Together with New York teammate Jones, the two collected a combined 26 rebounds on the night—a dominant interior performance that the Liberty are much happier to see when they are wearing the same jersey.
Natasha Howard, F, Minnesota Lynx
Grade: C+
Howard finished with eight points and four rebounds but struggled to find her touch, shooting 3-of-10. She has served as a vital anchor in the paint for Minnesota, particularly as the squad managed without Napheesa Collier, who made her return on June 22 following recovery from ankle surgery. Even if Howard’s statistical output declines with Collier back in the lineup, her role remains crucial for the Lynx.
Kahleah Copper, G/F, Phoenix Mercury
Grade: C
Selected to replace the injured Kelsey Plum (sidelined since June 21), Copper provided steady play in her 11 minutes on the floor, securing four points, four rebounds, two assists, and two steals. She continues to lead Phoenix with an average of 20.5 points per game as the Mercury aim for a stronger run in the post-break portion of the schedule.
Angel Reese, F, Atlanta Dream
Grade: C
Reese, who spent her initial two professional seasons playing in Chicago, was greeted with loud cheers from the home crowd during player introductions on Saturday. Since being traded to Atlanta prior to the season, she has been a force, averaging a double-double with 15.4 points and 11.5 boards. During the game, she attempted only one shot and did not score, but registered five rebounds and four assists across nine minutes of action.
Jackie Young, G, Las Vegas Aces
Grade: C
It turned out to be a low-key outing for Young, who also represented the Notre Dame alumni contingent in this game. She collected three points and three assists in her 10 minutes. Nonetheless, her value to Las Vegas remains immense, as she averages 16.7 points, 4.4 boards, and 6.8 assists while seeking to guide the Aces to further success.
Friday’s events
Young talent dominated the spotlight Friday during the WNBA’s All-Star 3-point shootout and Shooting Stars event at Wintrust Arena. Dallas Wings rookie guard and top draft selection Azzi Fudd became the first debut player to claim the 3-point title, while high school star Jezelle “GG” Banks guided Team Washington to a win in the Shooting Stars contest.
“She absolutely carried us,” noted Washington Mystics center Shakira Austin when discussing her Shooting Stars partner, Banks. “Her intensity was obvious from the very first whistle.”
Fudd, who has converted 53-of-137 shots from deep (38.7%) for Dallas this season, remarked that Friday’s triumph is a major confidence booster heading into the season’s final stretch.
“Participating in a shooting contest differs from taking shots during a live game, but it feels wonderful nonetheless,” Fudd explained. “It gives me some great momentum as we enter the next phase of the schedule.”
The performance grades for Friday’s showcase events are detailed below.
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Azzi Fudd tallies 30 points, becoming the inaugural rookie to claim the 3-point shootout title
3-point contest
Azzi Fudd, Dallas Wings
Grade: A+
Fudd found her rhythm early in the first round, nailing four shots from both the opening station and the top of the key to finish with 24 points.
Shooting first in the championship round allowed Fudd to quickly shake off any anxiety, she noted. She immediately established a rhythm, clearing all five balls on her first rack to signal she was the player to beat. She maintained her focus, matching her previous round with four makes from the top of the key and hitting another four on the final rack, culminating in a spectacular score of 30.
Her shooting form, which she credits as being a mirror image of her mother’s, remains her most formidable asset and has now earned her a major title in her first year in the league. Fudd indicated she would gladly return to defend her crown next year if given the opportunity—a bid that seems virtually guaranteed.
Bridget Carleton, Portland Fire
Grade: A
Carleton delivered the most impressive performance of the opening round, tallying 27 points behind a flawless final rack. The former Minnesota Lynx standout has been a revelation for the expansion franchise in Portland this year, hitting 67-of-179 three-pointers (37.4%). Although she couldn’t replicate that high-scoring pace in the final round, posting a 19, she had to follow an almost unbeatable performance by Fudd.
Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream
Grade: B
Having achieved at least 80 three-pointers in each of her initial four league campaigns, Howard is on pace to do so again, with 79 makes on 223 attempts (35.4%) before the break. The top draft pick of 2022 demonstrated solid consistency on Friday, making two or three shots from each station, but fell just a few baskets short of advancing, finishing with a total of 20.
Janelle Salaun, Golden State Valkyries
Grade: B
A late surge saw Salaun sink four shots apiece from the final two racks to wrap up her run with 19 points. However, she struggled significantly from the top of the key, converting only a single attempt there. Transitioning from her rookie campaign last season, she has excelled as a bench spark plug for Golden State, leading the roster from long distance with a 39.4% clip (67-of-170) after also pacing the team last season (36.6%).
Marina Mabrey, Toronto Tempo
Grade: C
Holding the league lead with 82 successful three-pointers this season, Mabrey was widely expected to be the frontrunner during Friday’s showcase. However, an icy start saw her hit only one shot on the initial rack. Though several early attempts narrowly missed, the sluggish start proved difficult to overcome. She exited with 18 points, but given her track record of explosive shooting games—including multiple performances with five or more triples—this brief setback won’t shake her self-belief.
Natisha Hiedeman, Seattle Storm
Grade: C-
A scoreless opening rack put Hiedeman in an immediate hole that she couldn’t climb out of. She showed signs of life from the top of the key with four successful shots, but it wasn’t enough to save her round. She finished as the first competitor with a score of 17 and was knocked out. Despite a tough night, she has been a highly valued addition in Seattle following stints in Connecticut and Minnesota, shooting 34.3% from deep and providing vital experience for a youthful roster.
1:51
GG Banks converts a pair of four-point shots to lead Team Washington to victory in the WNBA Shooting Stars event
Shooting Stars
Team Washington
Legend: Elena Delle Donne
Current player: Shakira Austin
Nike NYBL player: Jezelle “GG” Banks
Grade: A+
While Delle Donne ranks among the sport’s legendary scorers with two league MVP awards to her name, she deferred the spotlight to Banks, a fellow Wilmington, Delaware native. The rising guard, ranked fourth overall in the 2027 high school class by ESPN’s SportsCenter Next, converted two half-court shots to secure a 31-point victory for Team Washington. Delle Donne praised the youngster’s boldness in taking the lead shot, noting it was the logical strategy given that she and Austin stand at 6-foot-5 while the speedy Banks could get downcourt much quicker.
Pace was a critical factor in this newly introduced All-Star event, where trios were given 70 seconds to hit shots from seven designated court spots, ending with the deep half-court shot. Team Washington easily moved past the first round with 35 points before taking the crown. Austin, currently enjoying a stellar season with career-best marks of 15.0 points and 9.5 rebounds, expressed her sheer excitement at winning both the trophy and the financial reward.
Team Seattle
Legend: Lauren Jackson
Current player: Flau’jae Johnson
Nike NYBL player: Tatiana “Tati” Griffin
Grade: B
Seattle featured its own legendary icon in Jackson, paired with the freshman talent of Johnson and top-ranked class of 2028 prospect Griffin, a 6-foot guard out of California’s Mater Dei High. Jackson, who last played in the league in 2012 and playfully noted her days of active basketball are behind her due to an upcoming knee procedure, made the journey from Australia with her son to partake in the event. She relished the opportunity to be reimmersed in the league’s energy, helping her squad reach the final round with a 26-point showing before registering 24 points in the championship matchup.
Team Detroit/Dallas
Legend: Deanna “Tweety” Nolan
Current player: Jessica Shepard
Nike NYBL player: Morghan Reckley
Grade: C
Shepard, a 6-foot-4 post player, is enjoying a stellar season with Dallas, averaging nearly 15 points and 12 boards to earn her premier All-Star nod. Predictably, she paced her squad to a 20-point total. Meanwhile, Nolan—a key contributor to Detroit’s championship dynasty prior to the franchise’s moves to Oklahoma and Texas—found it tougher to establish her shooting rhythm. The multi-time All-Star wrapped up her WNBA career back in 2009 during the initial relocation phase, though she went on to play professionally internationally.
Completing the team was Georgia guard Reckley, ranked fifth overall in the 2028 class. Despite the 46-year-old Nolan’s cold shooting on Friday, the young prospect stands to learn plenty by studying highlights of “Tweety” in her prime, when she was widely regarded as one of the most explosive driving guards in league history during her tenure with the Detroit Shock.
Team Minnesota
Legend: Rebekkah Brunson
Current player: Courtney Williams
Nike NYBL player: Ryan Carter
Grade: C-
Although the league-leading Lynx entered the break with a stellar 22-6 record, Team Minnesota fell short on Friday, finishing the competition with 19 points. Brunson, a five-time champion and legendary rebounder who now serves on the Lynx coaching staff, joined forces with Williams, whose 15.3-point average has fueled Minnesota’s success this season. Williams led the way for her squad, alongside Pennsylvania native Carter, a top-15 prospect for the class of 2027 who remains uncommitted to a college program, like her fellow prep participants.
