Caitlin Clark Joins Fellow Stars In Delivering Powerful Statement At WNBA All-Star Game
The WNBA All-Star game is off and in full swing as Team Clark faces off against Team Collier. Beyond the entertainment, the event has served as a platform, addressing some of the issues plaguing the athletes.
Caitlin Clark joined the All-Stars, using the event as a platform and donning warm-up gear to make a powerful statement: "Pay us what you owe us."
The wage gap between the NBA and the WNBA has been a topic of discussion around the league for a long time. While several different points have been presented from both sides, the WNBA All-Stars are doing their best to make sure their grievances are heard.
While Clark was expected to headline the event, the Indiana Fever guard will be sidelined with a groin injury, which will see her serve as a captain and coach instead.
As the leader from the sidelines, the 2x All-Star is expected to play a major role for her team. With this in mind, before the game, Clark was asked what her objectives for the game would be. She hilariously responded by saying:
"I think I've got to heckle the refs a little bit. I don't know who's reffing yet, but that will determine how much I will heckle them...Maybe I can get a technical or something. Honestly, just have a good time."
In light of her recent run-ins with officials, Clark seems to be cracking jokes in reference to this, adding that a potential ejection would not be out of the realm of possibility for her. But she also stated that having fun with her team remains the priority.
The Fever guard has been one of the driving forces, if not the primary one, for the WNBA's recent surge in popularity. With her exciting style of play drawing the interest of basketball fans globally, the two-time All-Star ensured a greater audience for the All-Star Games this year.
Clark led all vote-gatherers with a total of 1,293,526 votes over Napheesa Collier's 1,176,020. With the two stars emerging as team captains for the event, the All-Star game is bound to be an exciting one.
The All-Star Game matchup between Team Clark and Team Collier is expected to be an exciting one. Team Clark's starting lineup will feature Kelsey Mitchell (replacing Clark), Jackie Young (replacing Satou Sabally), and Sabrina Ionescu in the backcourt. Meanwhile, their starting frontcourt features Aliyah Boston and A'ja Wilson.
Team Collier has gone big with rookie Paige Bueckers and Allisha Gray in the backcourt, while Napheesa Collier, Nneka Ogwumike, and Breanna Stewart fill out the frontcourt.
Adding to the excitement, the game will also feature new rules. With two four-point circles in each half, live hockey subs, and a 20-second shot clock, the game is poised to be an exciting event for those in attendance.This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jul 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC Sports
an hour ago
- NBC Sports
Aces face critical stretch to keep championship window open amid uneven season
HENDERSON, Nev. — From management to coach Becky Hammon to the players, the Las Vegas Aces say they remain a championship team despite what has been, at best, an uneven season. The Aces must keep their championship window open or major changes could come during what is expected to be a chaotic offseason given the number of pending free agents in Las Vegas and throughout the WNBA. 'I think as we look at big-picture decisions for the Aces, this stretch is very important,' team president Nikki Fargas said. 'It's where championship habits are going to be solidified, and there's a lot of great talent that's going to be available. Are you wanting to be a part of a championship legacy? We've found that that's been a great opportunity for us to talk about that in free agency previously.' The Aces, who in 2023 became the first WNBA team to repeat in 21 years, have been one of the league's model franchises in recent seasons. They were on the short list of favorites to contend for another championship this season, but are in a fight just to secure a playoff spot. They are 13-13, which puts them seventh in the standings. The top eight teams qualify for the postseason, and the Aces are for intents and purposes in playoff mode now because the fifth through 10th teams were separated by 3 1/2 games. 'We're just trying to string together some wins,' guard Jackie Young said. 'We know every game's important. We're trying to go out there and build off of the past games, learn from our mistakes.' Falling short of the playoffs or getting bounced early could lead to major offseason changes that could be coming anyway given the number of free agents. Only Aaliyah Nye is under contract beyond this season, according to Spotrac. That's largely the case around the league as well because the collective bargaining agreement ends after this season. Players timed their contracts to take advantage of what should be a much more lucrative CBA because of an 11-year media rights deal valued at more than $2.2 billion. 'I think next year's free agency is like the wild, wild West,' Hammon said. 'There's going to be people we're obviously trying to keep their services here in Vegas, and then there are others we're going to try to bring some people in. So I just think it's about finishing the season well, keeping our culture and our character intact through the rest of the (18) games so we make this a destination that people want to come and play with and be competitive at.' Hammon quickly made the point she's not the general manager, and the Aces remain without a GM since Natalie Williams was dismissed in October. The organization chose to not fill that position, with Fargas working with Tonya Holley, vice president of basketball operations, on personnel decisions with input from Hammon. This is an organization that has built through the draft — A'ja Wilson, Young and former Aces star Kelsey Plum were all No. 1 overall picks — but also hasn't been afraid to be aggressive in free agency or trades. Point guard Chelsea Gray signed as a free agent in 2021 and a year later was named WNBA Finals MVP when Las Vegas beat Connecticut in four games for its first championship. The Aces added two-time MVP Candace Parker in 2023, but she played just 18 games before a season-ending foot injury. She retired last year. They made their most audacious move this January, sending Plum to Los Angeles in a three-team trade that brought Jewell Loyd from Seattle. The move hasn't quite worked out the way the Aces envisioned, with Plum averaging 20.1 points and 5.9 assists while Loyd has scored 10.8 points per game. That's her lowest scoring average since putting up 10.7 as a rookie in 2015. But perhaps Loyd more closely will resemble the player who was a six-time All-Star with the Storm, who just last season averaged 19.7 points. She came off the bench — at her request — in Sunday's 106-80 victory at Dallas and scored 20 points. A resurgence by her and the expected addition of Cheyenne Parker-Tyus could be major boosts entering the postseason. Parker-Tyus, who signed as a free agent, is on maternity leave and her Aces debut is yet to be determined. Fargas said she was bullish on the Aces making another title run, pointing out the number of top players on the roster with championship experience, including Wilson and her three MVP trophies. 'Any time you have the best player in the world on your team, you will always have a shot,' Fargas said. If the Aces do have another such run in them, they will do so in the unusual role as underdogs. Hammon said she didn't care what those outside of the organization thought of her team. But Gray wants the target back on the Aces. That would mean they again are playing at a high level. 'You want to be playing your best basketball in September,' Gray said. 'That's what it's all about.'
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
5 WNBA trades we'd love to see ahead of the 2025 deadline
The 2025 WNBA trade deadline looms on Aug. 7, and we've decided to go through the league and find some options for possible trades until that deadline. While some contenders like the New York Liberty, Indiana Fever and Seattle Storm don't make our list, teams like the Minnesota Lynx, Phoenix Mercury and Golden State Valkyries add key pieces ahead of this year's deadline. Our major disclaimer: WNBA trades are harder to pull off than NBA trades, particularly with the looming CBA. This might lead to this being a quiet trade deadline, but we're going to do some imagining anyhow. This all might just be moot, but we'll have some fun and do some hypotheticals for the heck of it. Wings G Arike Ogunbowale to the Lynx The Lynx are one of the clearest title contenders this summer, but they could use another hot hand on offense to withstand some of the best scoring teams they'll see in the playoffs. If Minnesota wants to push in all the chips, they could send a queen's ransom to Dallas to secure Ogunbowale for the rest of the season. She would instantly set the Lynx up to score in bunches from beyond the arc right away. The team could use one more guard who can score 3-pointers with ease, and it could send a good young forward in Diamond Miller and a first-round pick back to Dallas. POSSIBLE TRADE: Ogunbowale to the Wings for Miller, a 2026 third-round pick a 2027 first-round pick Mystics F Aaliyah Edwards to the Valkyries After the Valkyries lost forward Kayla Thornton for the season, the team now has a clear need at forward. Edwards could settle into a more long-term role in Golden State, a team that will need young players on rookie deals with free agency looming for some of its best players in 2026. The Valkyries are starting to fade down the stretch, but adding Edwards would give the team a bit of a jolt now and a good building block for later. Forward Cecilia Zandalasini could be an intriguing fit for Washington to come off the bench and replace Edwards' minutes in the rotation. POSSIBLE TRADE: Edwards to Golden State for Zandalasinia, 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick Sky G Rachel Banham to the Dream Few teams in the WNBA love to shoot the 3-pointer like the Dream, and Banham coming off the bench for Atlanta could cement it as one of the best contenders in the league. She would be an outstanding option for a Dream team that could thrive with more options in the rotation to score from beyond the arc. Chicago needs young talent, so Dream guard Maya Caldwell and forward Taylor Thierry could get real minutes with the Sky as part of the trade. POSSIBLE TRADE: Banham to Atlanta for Caldwell, Thierry and a 2026 second-round pick Sun G Marina Mabrey to the Mercury The Mercury are trying to push for a title, and Mabrey could instantly elevate those chances. Phoenix could put together a compelling trade package for Connecticut, one featuring guard Lexi Held, forward Natasha Mack and a 2026 second-round draft pick. Phoenix could throw a 2027 pick in the mix as well to get a deal done, and Mabrey could arrive in Phoenix as a valuable depth option that can hit 3-pointers and give the team more of an edge. POSSIBLE TRADE: Mabrey to Phoenix for Held, Mack, a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick Sky G Rebecca Allen to the Mystics The Mystics could use another veteran guard coming off the bench for their playoff push, and Allen could absolutely provide that. Chicago could add a young guard in Lucy Olsen to the roster, and Washington could try Allen out for the rest of the season coming off the bench and potentially re-sign her as a free agent next offseason. A player-for-player swap makes sense here, as Olsen's overall potential matches Allen's instant and possibly long-term impact. POTENTIAL TRADE: Allen to Washington for Olsen
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Sean Payton: Dre Greenlaw plays like Mike Tyson
Linebacker Dre Greenlaw made the most of the first day in pads at Broncos training camp. Greenlaw filled gaps and delivered hits throughout team drills in Denver and head coach Sean Payton said you didn't even have to be watching to know that Greenlaw was the one landing blows. Payton said "you can hear it" when Greenlaw makes a hit and then went on to compare his style to another knockout artist from a different sport. "He plays like Mike Tyson," Payton said, via the team's website. "He's tough, he's physical. He's built that way. There's not a lot of leaky yardage. Some guys [allow that]. He's a knock-back tackler. They stop where he hits them. There's an intensity to how he plays. He's one of those players that if you put the film on and didn't say anything, at some point early, you'd ask, 'Who is this guy?'" Greenlaw was limited to two games for the 49ers last year because of injuries and a quad injury interrupted his first offseason in Denver, so one key for the Broncos will be making sure Greenlaw's healthy enough to deploy that physicality on a regular basis. If he is, facing an already tough Broncos defense will be even less enjoyable for opposing offenses in 2025.
