The WNBA All-Star Game, as a summer fixture, bumps into the Summer Olympics every four years. From 2008 in Beijing until 2016 in Rio, WNBA All-Star Weekend was canceled every four years due to the Games, leaving fans of the league with no superstar showcase to mark the middle of the season.
That trend is blissfully no more, as the league brought back a nifty solution from its earliest days: a matchup between Team USA and Team WNBA to mark the occasion. This way, Team USA could use the game as a tune-up for the Olympics, and fans can still enjoy what All-Star Weekend is all about.
Team USA's sparkling record, including gold medals in the past seven Summer Games, makes it a formidable opponent. Nonetheless, many of those on Team WNBA have experience playing on Team USA and will make it an interesting matchup.
Here's everything you need to know about this year's unique WNBA All-Star Game format, including the rules and team rosters.
MORE: USA basketball schedule for pre-Olympic tune-up games
WNBA All-Star Game format, explained
This is the third time Team USA and Team WNBA have played, and the second time they will headline WNBA All-Star Weekend.
Ahead of the 2004 Olympics in Athens, the league hosted The Game at Radio City between Team USA, which featured Dawn Staley, Lisa Leslie, and Tina Thompson in the starting lineup, and Team WNBA, which featured current Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon.
The Game is not considered a standard All-Star Game and was not marketed as such, but it clearly served as inspiration for the 2021 and 2024 All-Star Games. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics were postponed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That year, the USA-WNBA format was brought back for the All-Star Game in Las Vegas.
This year's WNBA All-Star Game will serve as a send-off for the players selected to compete in the Paris Olympics, just as the 2021 game sent off players to Tokyo. Other than changing who represents the teams, the game should resemble a standard WNBA game.
Team USA and Team WNBA rosters
Starters for the 2024 All-Star Game will be determined by the head coaches of Team WNBA and Team USA, respectively. Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve is at the helm for the Olympic 5x5 team, while the head coach for the WNBA squad has not been announced.
Team USA
| Player | Team |
| Napheesa Collier | Minnesota |
| Kahleah Copper | Phoenix |
| Chelsea Gray | Las Vegas |
| Brittney Griner | Phoenix |
| Sabrina Ionescu | New York |
| Jewell Loyd | Seattle |
| Kelsey Plum | Las Vegas |
| Breanna Stewart | New York |
| Diana Taurasi | Phoenix |
| Alyssa Thomas | Connecticut |
| A'ja Wilson | Las Vegas |
| Jackie Young | Las Vegas |
Team WNBA
| Player | Team |
| DeWanna Bonner | Connecticut |
| Aliyah Boston | Indiana |
| Caitlin Clark | Indiana |
| Allisha Gray | Atlanta |
| Dearica Hamby | Los Angeles |
| Brionna Jones | Connecticut |
| Jonquel Jones | New York |
| Kayla McBride | Minnesota |
| Kelsey Mitchell | Indiana |
| Arike Ogunbowale | Dallas |
| Nneka Ogwumike | Seattle |
| Angel Reese | Chicago |
MORE: Caitlin Clark's Team USA snub is only aging worse
WNBA All-Star schedule 2024
Here is the schedule of events for WNBA All-Star Weekend, which takes place on July 19 and 20:
Friday, July 19
- 9 p.m. ET — WNBA Skills Challenge
- Immediately following Skills Challenge — WNBA 3-Point Contest
Saturday, July 20
- 8:30 p.m. ET — WNBA All-Star Game
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