The 2014 WNBA All-Star Game was an
exhibition
An exhibition, in the most general sense, is an organized presentation and display of a selection of items. In practice, exhibitions usually occur within a cultural or educational setting such as a museum, art gallery, park, library, exhibiti ...
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
game played on July 19, 2014 at the venue then known as
US Airways Center (now Footprint Center) in
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona. With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, it is the ...
, the current home of the
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Mercury compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member of the Western Conference. One of eight original franchises, it wa ...
. This was the 12th edition of the
WNBA All-Star Game
An all-star game is an exhibition game that showcases the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or division, bu ...
, and was played during the
2014 WNBA season
The 2014 WNBA season was the 18th season of the Women's National Basketball Association. The season started in May and concluded in September to accommodate the 2014 Women's World Championship.
Notable occurrences
* The New York Liberty return ...
. This was the second time the event had been held in Phoenix, the other being the
2000
2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year.
Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...
game.
Starters for the game were selected by fan voting and announced on July 8, 2014. Fans were able to select three
frontcourt
Basketball is a sport with five players on the court for each team at a time. Each player is assigned to different positions defined by the strategic role they play. Guard, forward and center are the three main position categories. The standard ...
players and two
guards. The leading vote-getter was
Maya Moore
Maya April Moore (born June 11, 1989) is an American social justice advocate and former professional basketball player. Naming her their inaugural Performer of the Year in 2017, ''Sports Illustrated'' called Moore the "greatest winner in the hist ...
of the
Minnesota Lynx
The Minnesota Lynx are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Lynx compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member of the Western Conference (WNBA), Western Conference. The team won the WNBA ...
with 28,389 votes.
Shoni Schimmel won the MVP of the All-Star game and led the Eastern Conference to a 125-124 victory over the Western Conference.
Coaches
Under All-Star Game rules, the coaches came from the previous year's conference champions, provided that they were still in the same positions.
Cheryl Reeve
Cheryl Reeve (born September 20, 1966) is an American basketball head coach and President of Basketball Operations for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women's National Basketball Association, WNBA. Reeve has coached the Lynx to four league championshi ...
, coach of the defending
WNBA and
West
West is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth.
Etymology
The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some Romance langu ...
champion Lynx, coached the Western Conference for the second straight year. Because
Fred Williams, who coached the
Atlanta Dream
The Atlanta Dream are an American professional basketball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Dream compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member of the Eastern Conference. The team was founded for the ...
to the
Eastern Conference title in 2013, took the same position with the
Tulsa Shock
The Tulsa Shock were a professional basketball team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team was founded in Detroit, Michigan before the 1998 WNBA season began; ...
before the 2014 season, he was not eligible to serve as an All-Star head coach. Williams' successor in Atlanta,
Michael Cooper
Michael Jerome Cooper (born April 15, 1956), nicknamed "Coop", is an American basketball coach and former player. He played for the Los Angeles Lakers during his entire career in the National Basketball Association (NBA), winning five NBA champ ...
, was selected as the East coach based on the
Dream's conference-leading 11–4 record through games on June 29.
Players
Eastern Conference
Frontcourt starters were
Elena Delle Donne
Elena Delle Donne (born September 5, 1989) is an American former professional basketball player for 10 seasons as a member of the Washington Mystics and Chicago Sky. Delle Donne played college basketball for the Delaware Blue Hens from 2009 to ...
of the
Chicago Sky
The Chicago Sky are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Sky compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member of the Eastern Conference. The franchise was founded prior to the 2006 season. Th ...
, the East's top vote-getter for the second time in her two WNBA seasons;
Angel McCoughtry of the Dream; and
Tamika Catchings
Tamika Devonne Catchings (born July 21, 1979) is an American retired professional basketball player who played her entire 15-year career for the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Widely considered as one of the ...
of the
Indiana Fever
The Indiana Fever are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Fever compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) a member of the Eastern Conference (WNBA), Eastern Conference. The team was founded for ...
. Starting guards for the East were Dream rookie
Shoni Schimmel and
Cappie Pondexter
Cappie Marie Pondexter (born January 7, 1983) is an American former professional basketball player. She was born in Oceanside, California and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Pondexter is known for her scrappy play, quick crossovers and midrange ju ...
of the
New York Liberty
The New York Liberty are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Liberty compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member of the Eastern Confer ...
. Schimmel's selection marked the third consecutive All-Star Game in which at least one rookie had been voted in as a starter, following Moore in
2011
The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...
and Delle Donne and
Brittney Griner
Brittney Yvette Griner (; born October 18, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Atlanta Dream of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She is a three-time Olympic gold medalist with the U.S. women's natio ...
in
2013
2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years).
2013 was designated as:
*International Year of Water Cooperation
*International Year of Quinoa
Events
January
* January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...
.
Reserves for both conferences were announced on July 15 during the
Los Angeles Sparks
The Los Angeles Sparks are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Sparks compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member of the Western Conference. The team plays its home games at Crypto.co ...
–
Indiana Fever
The Indiana Fever are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Fever compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) a member of the Eastern Conference (WNBA), Eastern Conference. The team was founded for ...
game, televised by
ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American multinational pay television network owned by ESPN Inc., a joint venture between the Walt Disney Company (which owns a controlling 80% stake) and Hearst Communications (which owns the remaining 20%).
ESPN2 was initially ...
.
East reserves in the frontcourt were
Jessica Breland of the Sky,
Tina Charles of the Liberty,
Chiney Ogwumike
Chinenye Joy "Chiney" Ogwumike (born March 21, 1992) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). In 2020, she became the first black woman and th ...
of the
Connecticut Sun
The Connecticut Sun are an American professional basketball team based in Uncasville, Connecticut. The Sun compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member of the Eastern Conference (WNBA), Eastern Conference. The team i ...
, and
Érika de Souza of the Dream; reserve guards were
Katie Douglas of the Sun and
Briann January of the Fever.
Western Conference
Along with Moore, frontcourt starters for the West were
Candace Parker
Candace Nicole Parker (born April 19, 1986), nicknamed "Ace", is an American former professional basketball player. Widely regarded as one of the greatest WNBA players of all time, she was selected as the first overall pick in the 2008 WNBA dr ...
of the
Sparks and Griner of the Mercury. Starting guards for the West were
Diana Taurasi
Diana Lorena Taurasi (born June 11, 1982) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) for 20 seasons, spending her entire career with the Phoenix Mercury. Taurasi is widely ...
of the Mercury and
Skylar Diggins of the Shock.
West reserves in the frontcourt were
Candice Dupree
Candice Dupree (born August 16, 1984) is an American basketball coach and former player who is currently the head coach for the women's basketball team at Tennessee State University. She was selected sixth in the 2006 WNBA draft by the Chicago ...
of the Mercury,
Glory Johnson of the Shock, and
Nneka Ogwumike
Nnemkadi Chinwe Victoria "Nneka" Ogwumike (; born July 2, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks first overall in ...
of the Sparks, and reserve guards were
Seimone Augustus
Seimone Delicia Augustus (born April 30, 1984) is an American basketball coach and former professional player. She is currently an assistant coach for the LSU Tigers women's basketball, Louisiana State University women's basketball team. She was ...
and
Lindsay Whalen
Lindsay Marie Whalen (born May 9, 1982) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is an assistant coach for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Whalen played college basketball at the ...
of the Lynx and
Danielle Robinson of the
San Antonio Stars
The San Antonio Stars were a professional basketball team based in San Antonio, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team was founded in Salt Lake City, Utah, as the Utah Starzz before th ...
.
Notably, Chiney and Nneka Oguwmike became the first set of sisters ever selected to the same All-Star Game.
Replacements
Two initially chosen players were unable to play in the game. East starter Delle Donne was ruled out due to a flare-up of
Lyme disease
Lyme disease, also known as Lyme borreliosis, is a tick-borne disease caused by species of ''Borrelia'' bacteria, Disease vector, transmitted by blood-feeding ticks in the genus ''Ixodes''. It is the most common disease spread by ticks in th ...
, while West reserve Augustus was sidelined by
bursitis
Bursitis is the inflammation of one or more bursae (synovial sacs) of synovial fluid in the body. They are lined with a synovial membrane that secretes a lubricating synovial fluid. There are more than 150 bursae in the human body. The bursae (bu ...
in her left knee. Delle Donne was replaced on the roster by
Ivory Latta of the
Washington Mystics
The Washington Mystics are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Mystics compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member of the Eastern Conference (WNBA), Eastern Conference. The team was ...
, and Augustus by
Sue Bird
Suzanne Brigit Bird (born October 16, 1980) is an American former professional basketball player who played her entire career with the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Bird was drafted first overall pick by t ...
of the
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm are an American professional basketball team based in Seattle. The Storm compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member of the Western Conference (WNBA), Western Conference. The team was founded by Gi ...
.
Delle Donne's place in the East starting lineup was taken by Souza.
Rosters
Unable to play due to illness or injury
Game
The game was marked by records and milestones:
*
Tamika Catchings
Tamika Devonne Catchings (born July 21, 1979) is an American retired professional basketball player who played her entire 15-year career for the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Widely considered as one of the ...
was selected for the ninth time, tying her with
Tina Thompson
Tina Marie Thompson (born February 10, 1975) is an American former professional basketball player and coach. Most recently, she served as the head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers women's basketball team from 2018 to 2022; she was subsequently hi ...
for the most selections. Catchings also took sole possession of the record for most All-Star Game appearances, with eight.
* This was the first All-Star Game to go to overtime.
* Three players broke the previous All-Star Game scoring record of 23 points set
last year by
Candace Parker
Candace Nicole Parker (born April 19, 1986), nicknamed "Ace", is an American former professional basketball player. Widely regarded as one of the greatest WNBA players of all time, she was selected as the first overall pick in the 2008 WNBA dr ...
.
Shoni Schimmel scored 23 points after the halftime break, finishing with 29;
Skylar Diggins had 27, and
Maya Moore
Maya April Moore (born June 11, 1989) is an American social justice advocate and former professional basketball player. Naming her their inaugural Performer of the Year in 2017, ''Sports Illustrated'' called Moore the "greatest winner in the hist ...
24.
*
Brittney Griner
Brittney Yvette Griner (; born October 18, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Atlanta Dream of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She is a three-time Olympic gold medalist with the U.S. women's natio ...
's 17 points included the third dunk in All-Star Game history. This gave her four dunks in her two WNBA seasons; at game time, all other WNBA players in history had six.
The game was close throughout, but the East took a fourth-quarter lead, forcing the West to rally to take the game into overtime. The West took a 7-point lead with 1:59 to play, but the East scored the game's final 8 points, capped by a Catchings layup with 6.9 seconds left. Catchings then sealed the East win by knocking the ball away from Diggins. MVP honors went to Schimmel, a rookie who at the time was not starting for the Atlanta Dream and had been voted in as a starter mainly because of her huge following among her fellow
Native Americans.
References
{{WNBA on ESPN
2014 WNBA season
WNBA All-Star Game