This past weekend in New Orleans, an interesting concept was brought up—how can the WNBA be incorporated more into the NBA’s All-Star Game festivities?
Of course, The W will have its own midseason party to prepare for when the league’s top players descend on Seattle for the All-Star Game this July. But, it was asked in the Crescent City how The W can play more of a role in future NBA All-Star Games.
Currently, the All-Star Celebrity Game, which this year featured three WNBA players (Nneka Ogwumike, Candace Parker, and Lindsay Whalen) gives the league the greatest amount of visibility at NBA’s All Star weekend.
.@Chiney321, @Nnemkadi30 & @Candace_Parker are feeling confident the West will take the victory in the #NBACelebGame. ? pic.twitter.com/DvAM46KhzA
— UNINTERRUPTED (@uninterrupted) February 18, 2017
Four teams also used to include one WNBA player (along with one current NBA player and one NBA legend) for its Shooting Stars Competition that lasted until 2015.
But…what about including one WNBA representative in the Skills Challenge?
Maybe allow one WNBA player to be part of the Skills Challenge or something like that.
–Candace Parker (per USA Today)
Her Sparks teammate, Ogwumike, feels if Parker were in the Skills Challenge, she would win it as well.
Whalen was a bit more skeptical citing how players are already taking part in a litany of charity events during the festivities, but Ogwumike mentioned Shooting Stars.
I’m not exactly sure what else they could do. Maybe just involve the WNBA players in more extracurriculars concerning the game. Maybe have them as All-Star coaches. But Shooting Stars, I didn’t think it was so bad.
–Nneka Ogwumike
By: Akiem Bailum (@AkiemBailum on Twitter, Instagram)
