Sports: Mohegan Sun Arena plays host to WNBA All-Star Game today
Sun’s Bentley, Bone dreamed of competing in their first WNBA All-Star Game
Mohegan — Sure, Connecticut Sun center Kelsey Bone wanted to be a WNBA All-Star someday, but it always seemed like a lofty status that
belonged to others.
“After a game last year, (Sun assistant) coach Jen (Gillom) came up to me and said, ‘You know, next year, you should be an all-star,’” Bone said. “' That should be your goal. That’s what you’re working toward. It’s only going to elevate our team.’”
“I was like, ‘An all-star? Are you kidding me? That’s Candace Parker, Diana Taurasi, Tina Thompson, or Lisa Leslie. That’s a totally different territory.'”
Not anymore. Bone and teammate Alex Bentley have both earned their way into an exclusive club as WNBA coaches voted them onto the Eastern Conference All-Star team as reserves.
Both third-year players get to enjoy their first All-Star game at home on Saturday at Mohegan Sun Arena (3:30 p.m., Ch. 8).
“To be able to have my name added to that list and know that my hard work has paid off, and the things that I’ve dreamed about since I was nine years old, it feels good,” Bone said.
“Oh, man, it’s crazy to step on the court and say I’m a WNBA all-star alongside Tamika Catchings,” Bentley said. “I used to watch Catch growing up (in Indianapolis) since I was six, seven years old, going to Indiana Fever games. It’s pretty surreal. It’s awesome.”
Bentley’s WNBA journey hasn’t been the straight line to stardom taken by the likes of Tina Charles, Brittney Griner or Maya Moore. She was drafted 13th overall (second round) by the Atlanta Dream in 2013. Being drafted 13th overall isn’t a big deal in
larger leagues like the NFL or NBA, but the success rate isn’t high for WNBA players chosen in the double digits. She’s also 5-foot-7.
Bentley averaged eight points her rookie year and helped Atlanta win the East. She was also named to the 2013 All-Rookie team alongside Elena Delle Donne, Skylar Diggins, Bone and Griner.
Atlanta dealt Bentley to the Washington Mystics in exchange for Matee Ajavon on March 12, 2014. Later that day, the Mystics sent her to Connecticut for Kara Lawson.
“(It hasn’t been) smooth sailing,” Bentley said. “You have to stay motivated, you have to stay hungry, and you can’t ever give up. This (playing professionally) has been my dream, my passion. I would never give up on it. Even if I ever got cut one day, I would still battle for a spot in the league for sure.”
Bentley has thrived with Connecticut. She moved from point guard to shooting guard this year and has been the Sun’s primary shooter. She’s averaged a team-high 16.8 points with a league-leading 37 steals.
It’s a huge deal to Bentley that the coaches named her an all-star. Basketball isn’t just her job, it’s her passion, and she takes losing as hard as anyone who’s ever played for the Sun.
“I’ve always had a heart for the game,” she said. “It’s a part of me. It’s a part of my life, and it’s a huge part. It’s been a long journey. It’s been a long road and I’m enjoying the ride.”
Bone’s road has been a bit different. She was the 2009 McDonald’s John Wooden National High School Player of the Year, a finalist for the Wooden Award during her senior year at Texas A&M, and was drafted fifth overall by the New York Liberty.
Connecticut acquired Bone during the 2014 draft as part of a deal involving Charles, who demanded to be traded to New York. Bone has averaged 14.9 points and 6.6 rebounds this season. “I’ve been lucky enough to play for two of the best post players in the men’s and the women’s game (New York head coach Bill Laimbeer and Connecticut head coach Anne Donovan),” Bone
said, “so I’ve been allowed to grow as a young post player. I’ve had to grow up fast, but I’ve been allowed that growth.
“I’ve just been lucky, I guess, or blessed, one of the two, but I’ve been put in great positions to have what I bring to the game accepted and relished.” n.griffen@theday.com Twitter: @MetalNED