![]() McBride had 12 points, and Shepard had a league-leading 7 assists in a loss to Chicago, 77-66. The Minnesota Lynx have become “Notre Dame West” with four of those seven: Natalie Achonwa, Lindsey Allen, Kayla McBride and Jessica Shepard. Only UConn has put more women on active WNBA squads. In addition to Ogunbowale, Young and Loyd, seven other former Notre Dame players made opening day rosters at the next level. Look for that mark to increase over the course of this year. Loyd averaged 16.3 points per game last season, which ranked 10th in the W. The 29-year-old veteran is now tasked with running a Storm offense devoid of Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart. In Seattle, the keys to the 2023 car are in Loyd’s hands. 1 overall pick was the league’s Most Improved Player last year and helped lead the Aces to the franchise’s first championship. Young tied Kelsey Plum for the point title for the Aces on Saturday, as Las Vegas dominated a new-look Storm team, 105-64. Ogunbowale’s 19.7 points per game last season was tied for third in the WNBA with former Irish guard Skylar Diggins-Smith, who is currently with the Phoenix Mercury. Unsurprisingly, Ogunbowale got off to a red-hot start for the Wings on Saturday, putting up 20 first-half points against the Atlanta Dream in Dallas. No other school had more than one player on that list. There were nine performances between Friday and Saturday of 20+ points, and three of those - Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale (27), Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young (23) and Seattle Storm guard Jewell Loyd (22)- belonged to former Irish stars. On Friday, the WNBA opened up its season with six games between the 12 teams. It appears that won’t change any time soon. The 2024 NBA All-Star Game is slated for Indiana and the 2023 WNBA All-Star Game will be held in Las Vegas, but bids for upcoming All-Star Games beyond that are open.Notre Dame’s fingerprints have been all over the WNBA in recent years. Ishbia has been aggressive since his very first day on the job, so it’s not surprising he’s added hosting All-Star Games to his checklist as the Suns continue their search for a head coach. I’m excited to support our bids to be a host city, and am looking forward to hearing positive news back from the WNBA and NBA!”Īfter hosting recent major sporting events like the Super Bowl, Final Four and Waste Management Open, Phoenix possesses the infrastructure to host the NBA and WNBA All-Star Games as well. ![]() “‘From world-class facilities like Footprint Center to our sustainable, innovative transportation options like light rail or Waymo driverless taxis, Phoenix has everything we need to put on a successful major event like the WNBA and NBA All-Star Games. “We’re doing things differently in Phoenix, and the sports world has noticed,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said in a statement. With the NCAA Men’s Final Four coming to Phoenix in 2024 and the Women’s Final Four being played at The Footprint Center in 2026, the city’s accessibility, diverse cultures and weather make it a suitable location to host the NBA and WNBA All-Star Games. ![]() The Phoenix Suns and Mercury want to continue finding new and important ways to partner with the city to bring real impact to our community.”Ī prominent part of the pitch the pitch stems from the fact that Phoenix is the fastest-growing city in the country. “Phoenix is one of the great basketball cities in the world and the perfect place to bring together the players and fans to celebrate the sport. “We’re excited to partner with the City of Phoenix to engage the NBA and WNBA to bring both All-Star Games to the Valley,” Suns and Mercury owner Mat Ishbia said in a statement. The teams have submitted formal bids and are working closely with the City of Phoenix, Visit Phoenix, Downtown Phoenix Inc, Arizona Commerce Authority, the Phoenix Convention Center and more to host All-Star Weekend. The Phoenix Suns and Mercury are hoping to bring the NBA and WNBA All-Star Games to the Valley in the near future.
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