Saturday, July 23, 2011
Associated Press
SAN ANTONIO
The WNBA will celebrate its 15th anniversary today by honoring the 15 best players in history during halftime of the All-Star game.
The game itself, meanwhile, will look distinctly like the WNBA’s future.
Minnesota Lynx rookie Maya Moore headlines a record group of 10 first-time All-Stars playing in the midseason showcase, with the newcomers filling up nearly half the roster spots for what’s traditionally been a game of more familiar faces.
Indiana Fever forward Tamika Catchings will be there again. So will the Seattle Storm’s Sue Bird. Both are making their seventh All-Star appearances, but gone among the former mainstays is Los Angeles Sparks forward Tina Thompson, the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer and a nine-time All-Star.
Thompson, in her 15th season, wasn’t selected for the first time in her career. But Moore and three other rookies were picked, the most since the 2006 All-Star game.
“Happens in every league. You don’t want to keep honoring the same people over and over again,” Catchings said.
Halftime will unveil the top 15 players in WNBA history, as voted on by fans, sports writers and current players and coaches.