Emma Meesseman high-fives Candace Parker during a recent game in L.A. Photo: Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images
The WNBA All-Star Game comes to Wintrust Arena this weekend.
Why it matters: The defending champion Chicago Sky host the entire league for a weekend of festivities showcasing not just the arena and team, but our whole basketball-obsessed city.
State of play: The Sky are well represented in Sunday afternoon's All-Star Game.
- The format is similar to the NBA's, with two team captains — Seattle's Breanna Stewart and Las Vegas' A'ja Wilson — choosing players, as opposed to the traditional game between the two conferences.
- Candace Parker was the first player chosen in the draft and will lead Team Wilson.
- Parker is joined by Kahleah Copper and will play against Courtney Vandersloot and Emma Meesseman on Team Stewart, which is coached by the Sky's James Wade.
The intrigue: Three-time 3-point-contest winner Allie Quigley is defending her 2021 title even after saying she was retiring from the event. It starts Saturday at 2pm on ESPN.
- A Quigley win would make her the first WNBA or NBA player to win the shooting contest four times.
The big picture: The Sky head into the All-Star break with the best record in the WNBA. They also made the finals of the 2022 Commissioner's Cup, an in-season tournament designed to add more excitement to the regular season.
- That game against the Las Vegas Aces is July 26.
If you go: The league is hosting all sorts of free events this weekend in and around Wintrust Arena near McCormick Place.
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