At this point, we probably do not need to throw around any ideas on making the WNBA’s All-Star weekend an event. When one looks at what All-Star was as recently as its 2018 version in Seattle and what it was last year in Indianapolis, it is clearly an event now.
That will certainly once again be the case late next month when Chicago once again plays host to the W’s midseason party as it did in 2022. We know what will take place. WNBA Live at the McCormick Convention Center not to mention the Skills Challenge and 3-Point Contest emanating from Wintrust Arena – the home of the Chicago Sky – on Friday.
And, of course, the game itself on Saturday evening. Unlike in 2022 when said game also was at Wintrust Arena, the United Center – the home venue of the Chicago Bulls – will play host to this year’s All-Star Game.
Obviously, so much of the inspiration for the W’s All-Star festivities comes from the NBA. One of the more popular All-Star weekend concepts over the years has been the idea of a Rookies vs. Sophomores game – the best of this year’s draft class vs. the premier players from the previous year’s draft class.
The idea sounded great on paper. The problem with the WNBA doing such a game was it was always a question as to if these younger players would even make a roster.
Except one thing. Now, there are enough rookies and second-year players on roster for a Rookies vs. Sophomores game to take place during All-Star weekend because of the new franchises that have debuted between this year and last year.
And remember – three more franchises will enter the W’s ranks between 2028 and 2030 with Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia. This means more roster spots for rookies – and more roster spots across the board (even with the two developmental spots per team).
Just look at the Connecticut Sun and Washington Mystics. So much of the rosters of those two teams are comprised of rookies and second-year players.
One thing to remember is that the word “rookie” can be somewhat muddled in W circles. There are players on team rosters that are considered rookies solely because they are in their first seasons in the WNBA. While the W may recognize them as rookies, can they really be considered rookies if they already have substantial international experience?
An example of this is Teja Oblak with the Portland Fire. She is listed as a rookie on the Fire’s roster page – she is 35 years old with a wealth of international experience. A lot of this has to do with contracts, of course.
A, somewhat, less drastic example can be seen with the Mystics. Georgia Amoore, who missed all of her rookie season with an ACL injury, is still listed as a rookie on Washington’s roster page. She is actually a second-year player considering she was selected in the 2025 draft.
This same reasoning is what led to many to believe that Sabrina Ionescu should have been eligible to vie for the 2021 Rookie of the Year award despite the fact that she was selected in the 2020 WNBA Draft. Ionescu was the first-overall selection of a New York Liberty franchise that was in a full organizational rebuild as it was transitioning from its James Dolan and Madison Square Garden era to its current Clara Wu Tsai and Joe Tsai era.
Ionescu was unfortunately injured in only her third game of her WNBA career in 2020. One must remember that there was a massive mainstream media push to make Ionescu the next face of the W at the time of her being drafted (similar to Caitlin Clark in 2024).
This year, true rookies (similar to “true freshmen” in the college ranks) are names like Awa Fam, Azzi Fudd, Olivia Miles, Kiki Rice, Raven Johnson, Flau’jae Johnson, Gabriela Jaquez, Gianna Kneepkens, Lauren Betts, Angela Dugalić, Aziaha James, Charlisse Leger-Walker, Ta’Niya Latson, Madina Okot or Janiah Barker.
One can consider names such as Paige Bueckers, Kiki Iriafen, Sonia Citron, Hailey Van Lith, Saniya Rivers, Aneesah Morrow, Lucy Olsen, Makayla Timpson, Maddy Westbeld, Te-Hina Paopao, JJ Quinerly, Kaitlyn Chen, Sania Feagin and Sarah Ashlee Barker as sophomores.
If one were to assemble 12-team rosters for both the Rookies Team and Sophomores Team, there are more than enough players to fill these rosters. In addition, All-Star weekend would be a way to further introduce its young players to a broader fanbase because some may be so talented (and/or popular) that they may play in both the Rookies vs. Sophomores game and the All-Star Game itself.
Not to mention both teams could be coached by WNBA legends. For example, considering this year’s All-Star festivities are in Chicago, why not Elena Delle Donne or (Chicago’s very own) Candace Parker as coaches.
When one looks at who is to be selected in the next couple of drafts, names like JuJu Watkins and Sarah Strong need no introduction because those two names will be faces of a franchise. But there are a litany of names that will be selected in the 2027 and 2028 drafts behind Watkins and Strong that can also put up All-Star numbers and thrive throughout their W careers.
In terms of 2027, Hannah Hidalgo, Audi Crooks, Madison Booker, Mikaylah Williams and MiLaysia Fulwiley automatically come to mind. With 2028, Joyce Edwards and Jazzy Davidson will likely be selected right behind Strong as lottery picks that year.
When one looks at the current crop of rookies, Olivia Miles (Minnesota Lynx), Kiki Rice (Toronto Tempo), Azzi Fudd (Dallas Wings), Flau’jae Johnson (Seattle Storm) and Gabriela Jaquez (Chicago Sky) appear to be having the best of seasons. There is a good chance that at least three of those aforementioned players (if not four) could be selected to All-Star teams this season. After all, it happened last year when Bueckers, Iriafen and Citron all qualified for All-Star teams.
There are more than enough teams to bring the concept of Rookies vs. Sophomores to the W. And, considering that many rookies and second-year players enter the W with chips on their shoulders, such a game may (heavy emphasis on may) be competitive unlike most All-Star Games outside of Olympic years.
Not to mention – and here is a reason that may really get commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s attention on why Rookies vs. Sophomores should happen – it will be another way to sell jerseys on the Fanatics WNBA Store and at WNBA Live. If the W did Rooks vs. Sophs this year in Chicago, one could legitimately purchase a Bueckers All-Star jersey and Bueckers Team Sophomores threads.
And who is the WNBA’s jersey partner? Oh, that’s right – it is Nike. So, perhaps, the W needs to find inspiration from the Swoosh – and Just Do It.
