Ogwumikes named to All-Star pool
Stanford’s Ogwumike sisters might be on the same team again after being selected as WNBA All-Stars on Tuesday.
Chiney and Nneka Ogwumike, who last played together for the Cardinal during the 2011-12 season, were among the 22 players chosen to play in the game, July 28 in Minneapolis. As in the NBA’s All-Star Game, starting last season, the rosters of the two teams will be selected by the two players who received the most votes.
The Minnesota Lynx’s Maya Moore and the Washington Mytics’ Elena Delle Donne got those honors, but Moore said she was “unable to perform her captaincy duties at this time,” according to the league. The Los Angeles Sparks’ Candace Parker will become the other captain.
It is the second time Chiney Ogwumike, of the Connecticut Sun, has made the team. The 26year-old forward was an All-Star as a rookie in 2014 before missing two of next three seasons because of injury.
Los Angeles forward Nneka Ogwumike, 28, has made the All-Star team every year during her five-year career.
Delle Donne wouldn’t say who she’s picking first, but she did say that she feels loyalty to Washington teammate Kristi Toliver.
“The one pick I will give away is that she will be on my team,” she said.
“I’m glad that Maya turned down her role so that I can have the first pick,” Delle Donne added, laughing. “I’ve got everyone’s name written down and their position. You can’t pick wrong as you have really great players out there.”
Parker has two L.A. teammates in the pool: Nneka Ogwumike and Chelsea Gray.
“It should be fun, and it’s good to see the league mixing it up with the captain format,” Parker said.
Other players in the All-Star pool include Sue Bird, 37, playing in a league-record 11th All-Star Game. The Phoenix Mercury’s Diana Taurasi, the league all-time leading scorer, made the team for the ninth time. Rookie A’ja Wilson and four-year veteran Jewell Loyd are first-time All-Stars.
Dallas Wings center Liz Cambage was named to her second All-Star squad on the same day she broke the WNBA scoring record for a game with 53 points against New York. And Minnesota’s Moore, Sylvia Fowles and Seimone Augustus will get to play in front of their home fans.
The WNBA took conference affiliation out of the midseason game, and 16 of the 22 All-Stars were from the Western Conference. The two captains will draft their teams Wednesday and the teams will be revealed Thursday night.