All-Star captain Breanna Stewart drafted Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner with her first overall pick because “we need her dunks.” Griner did just that Saturday in Las Vegas.
Griner triumphantly marked her return to the WNBA All-Star stage with a first-quarter slam, her sixth dunk at an All-Star Game, at Michelob ULTRA Arena in front of a sell-out crowd that included Sue Bird, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant, DeMar DeRozan and more WNBA and NBA royalty.
“I called my knees and I talked to them to get me up,” Griner said. “We got it up there.”
Griner’s 18 points helped lift Team Stewart over Team Wilson, 143-127, handing the Las Vegas Aces’ A’ja Wilson her first loss as an All-Star captain. It was sweet revenge for Team Stewart, which lost the 2022 All-Star Game to Team Wilson.
Griner was one of several bright spots for Team Stewart, which dominated Team Wilson wire-to-wire in a blowout victory. Jewell Loyd was named the WNBA All-Star Game MVP following a record-setting 31-point performance. She added four rebounds and six assists. Her 31 points broke Maya Moore’s and reigning ASG MVP Kelsey Plum’s All-Star Game points record (30) set in 2015 and 2022, respectively. Loyd also knocked down a record 10 3-pointers, shooting 10-for-21 from beyond the arc.
Sabrina Ionescu added 18 points and Napheesa Collier scored 20.
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