NEW YORK (June 30, 2021) – AT&T WNBA All-Star 2021, to be played Wednesday, July 14 at Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, will showcase the WNBA’s biggest and brightest stars under one roof when the WNBA’s top talent squares off against one another in a clash between WNBA All-Stars versus the USA Basketball Women’s National Team voted-in as part of a combination of fan, player, media, and coach voting. The 17^th WNBA All-Star Game will be broadcast live by ESPN at 7 p.m. ET.

The 2021 AT&T WNBA All Star Game is one of many key elements of the celebration of the WNBA’s 25^th season, which will continue to recognize the incredible achievements of players to date while also serving as a celebratory send-off of the WNBA players who will compete in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Serving as Co-Head Coaches of Team WNBA will be WNBA Legends Lisa Leslie and Tina Thompson.  Both Leslie and Thompson are among the most decorated players in league history. Each was named to the WNBA’s All-Decade Team in 2006. Each also was among the honorees in 2016 when the WNBA unveiled its “Top 20@20” celebrating the 20 greatest and most influential players in its history.  The USA Women’s National Team will be under the direction of Head Coach Dawn Staley, herself a member of the WNBA’s All-Decade Team.

As part of the league’s 25^th season celebrations, the WNBA will also honor the gold-medal winning 1996 U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team with a special presentation during the game highlighting the impact the team had on women’s sports and the role it played in launching the WNBA. 

The initial selection of the All-Stars was conducted through a combination of voting by fans (50 percent of the vote), current WNBA players (25 percent) and a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters (25 percent) from June 15 through June 27.

The top 36 vote-getters from that voting process who are not members of the USA Basketball 5x5 roster, were provided to WNBA Head Coaches who determined from that list, the 12 players who will play for the Team WNBA All-Stars. Coaches were not permitted to vote for players from their own team. Each coach was required to submit votes for five frontcourt players, three guards, and four additional players at any position. The list of top 36 vote-getters is available here.

Starters for AT&T WNBA All-Star 2021 will be determined by the respective head coaches of Team WNBA and the USA Basketball Women’s National Team.

As previously announced, the USA Basketball Women’s National Team will hold training camp in Las Vegas in July. If a player for the USA Basketball Women’s National Team is unable to participate in AT&T WNBA All-Star 2021, USA Basketball will appoint a replacement. Should a member of Team WNBA be unable to play for any reason, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert will name a replacement. 

For ticket information for AT&T WNBA All-Star 2021, log on to wnba.com/allstar.

AT&T is the Marquee Partner of the WNBA and is an inaugural WNBA Changemaker.
 

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About the WNBA
Currently in its 25th season in 2021, the WNBA is a bold, progressive basketball league that stands for the power of women.  Featuring 12 teams, the W is a unique sports property that combines competition and entertainment with a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and social responsibility.  Through its world-class athletes, the in-game fan experience, TV and digital broadcasts, digital and social content and community outreach programs, the league celebrates and elevates the game of basketball and the culture around it.

In 2020, the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) signed a groundbreaking eight-year CBA that charts a new course for women’s basketball – and women’s sports overall – with a focus on increased player compensation, improvements to the player experience, expanded career development opportunities and resources specifically tailored to the female professional athlete.  Key elements of the agreement are supported through the league’s new platform, WNBA Changemakers, with AT&T, the WNBA’s Marquee Partner and inaugural Changemaker, as well as fellow inaugural Changemakers Deloitte and Nike, and the recent addition of Google. During the 2020 season, the WNBA and WNBPA launched the WNBA Justice Movement forming the Social Justice Council with the mission of being a driving force of necessary change and continuing conversations about race and voting rights, among other important societal issues.

About USA Basketball
Based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and chaired by retired Gen. Martin Dempsey, USA Basketball is a nonprofit organization and the national governing body for basketball in the United States. As the recognized governing body for basketball in the U.S. by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), USA Basketball is responsible for the selection, training and fielding of USA national teams that compete in FIBA-sponsored five-on-five, 3x3 and esports international competitions, as well as for some national competitions and for the development of youth basketball. USA Basketball currently ranks No. 1 in all five of FIBA’s world-ranking categories, including combined, men’s, women’s, boys and girls.

Connect with USA Basketball at USAB.com and on Facebook (USABasketball and USABYouth), Twitter (@usabasketball, @USABYouth, @USAB3x3, @usabgaming), Instagram (@USABasketball, @USAB3x3, @USABYouth, @USABgaming) and YouTube (usabasketball). 

About AT&T Communications 
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Contacts:
Ron Howard, (212) 407-8641, rhoward@nba.com
Sam Tager, (212) 407-8358, stager@nba.com