Team Collier Beats Team Clark As Players Demand Raise

All-Star game statistics do not count toward official player and team records, but that was not enough reason for Team Collier to hit the break as they cruised past Team Clark 151-131 with seven players in double-digit scoring and historical performances by some of its members.

Captain Napheesa Collier scored a record-breaking 36 points and was named MVP, while Skylar Diggins became the first player in All-Star history to record a triple-double, finishing with 11 points, 11 rebounds and 15 assists. The team’s 151 points were also the most in league history.

Eight players finished in double figures for Team Clark, with Kelsey Mitchell leading the effort by dropping 20. But the opponent was too much to handle, as Team Collier opened a 17-point lead at the end of the first quarter and never looked back.

Clark’s squad mounted a comeback attempt with a 12-4 run to cut the deficit to single digits at the 7:22 mark of the second quarter, 53-44, only to watch Collier respond with a 10-0 spree of her own, propelling her team to a commanding 82-60 halftime lead.

Despite a more balanced second half, which saw Team Clark outscore its opponent 71-69, defense remained optional, as is often the case in All-Star games, and Team Collier held on for the win.

Players Wear “Pay Us What You Owe Us” During Warmups

A central topic throughout the weekend, CBA negotiations took center stage before and after the All-Star Game. During warmups, players wore WNBPA shirts that read “Pay Us What You Owe Us,” in reference to their most pressing demand to the league.

“The t-shirt, just united front, was determined this morning, that we had a meeting,” said Los Angeles Sparks guard and WNBPA executive committee member Kelsey Plum postgame. “I think it was just all of us getting on the same page for the game. We wanted to do something that was just united and collective. And I thought that it was a very powerful moment, and got the point across. And, you know, sometimes you don’t have to say anything.”

After the game, as commissioner Cathy Engelbert prepared to announce the game’s MVP, the crowd started chanting “Pay them” in support of the players, following reports that the most recent meeting with the league was unproductive, according to some in attendance.

Washington Mystics guard Brittney Sykes, who had a 16-point, 7-assist, 2-rebound performance in her first All-Star appearance, held a sign that read, “Pay the players.”

First-Years And Veterans Show-Off

Everyone had a chance to shine.

Five of the six first-time All-Stars scored in double digits. Kiki Iriafen, a rookie with the Mystics, and Kayla Thornton of the Golden State Valkyries, both recorded double-doubles. Gabby Williams, a forward for the Seattle Storm, tied Sykes with 16 points, followed by another Mystics rookie, Sonia Citron, who had 11. First overall pick in the 2025 draft, Paige Bueckers, scored six points and dished out eight assists.

Ten-time All-Star and the most experienced player on the court, Nneka Ogwumike was nearly perfect from the floor, connecting on 7-of-8 for 16 points, along with seven rebounds. She became the WNBA All-Star all-time field goal percentage leader and moved into second place in scoring.

Collier’s 36-point MVP performance was one rebound shy of a double-double, as she grabbed nine boards while shooting an impressive 81.3% in just 18 minutes.

Indiana Fever’s own Kelsey Mitchell was the game’s second-leading scorer, with 20 points on 8-of-17 shooting in front of a sold-out home crowd of 16,988.

A fan and player favorite was the 4-point line, placed 28 feet from the basket in a location commonly known as “logo 3s.” According to the Indy Star, Team Collier went 12-of-28 from that range, while Team Clark finished 8-of-37.