Team Captains Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier led the WNBA All-Star Draft 2025 on Tuesday night (8 July), selecting their respective teams for the upcoming WNBA All-Star Game.
Clark, as the leading vote-getter, started proceedings with the first pick of the round and chose her Indiana Fever teammate Aliyah Boston. She then bolstered her ranks with heavyweights Sabrina Ionescu, A’ja Wilson and Satou Sabally from the list of available starters.
Collier, meanwhile, with the responding pick, went with New York Liberty stalwart Breanna Stewart, Allisha Gray, Nneka Ogwumike and league rookie Paige Bueckers.
For the second round, featuring the reserves, Collier led the way, opting for fellow Lynx teammate Courtney Williams. Clark replied in kind, choosing Indiana’s own Kelsey Mitchell and in the process guaranteed that all three Fever All-Stars will play together at the All-Star Games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
At the close of the draft, Clark and Collier were presented with the opportunity to make trades, inviting a sense of drama to the night’s action.
Clark initially offered Sabally in exchange for Stewart, but was denied by Collier, who countered with an offer of Stewart for Boston.
After the Fever star flatly rejected the idea, the pair then landed on a different kind of trade, deciding not to swap any players but to switch coaches instead.
With All-Star coaches determined based on league standings at the time, it was set that Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve was to oversee Team Clark while the New York Liberty’s Sandy Brondello was to be in charge of Team Collier.
That, however, didn’t last after discussions.
“I don’t know if this is in the rules, I don’t really care, but I think we’ve already discussed, we are going to trade coaches,” Clark said on the broadcast.
“Phee is going to take her coach [Cheryl Reeve]; Sandy Brondello, let’s get it. Sorry, WNBA, if that’s not in the rules. Sorry, ESPN, if that’s not in the rules, but we just made it a rule. Sandy Brondello, come on over, let’s get to it.”
The WNBA All-Star Games 2025 will take place on Sunday, 20 July, following a weekend of activities including a three-point contest and skills challenge.