Lynx Excited To Represent Minnesota At WNBA All-Star Game

Mitchell Hansen
Web Editorial Associate
Twitter

The Minnesota Lynx will be well-represented on Saturday afternoon in Seattle.

Maya Moore, Sylvia Fowles, Seimone Augustus and Rebekkah Brunson will represent the Lynx on Saturday in the 14th WNBA All-Star Game at KeyArena.

“I think the older I get the more I appreciate it. You realize how hard it is to continue to play at a high level enough to where now your peers and the fans and the media are voting you in. It’s definitely appreciated,” Moore said. “It’s a privilege and we only have a few chances at it because of our Olympic years. So hopefully you’re healthy enough to go and give the fans a little extra treat.”

The quartet will appear on the Western Conference All-Star team at 2:30 p.m. CT in Seattle, a first-time WNBA All-Star Game host. The game will be nationally televised on ABC.

“Seattle is a new location, but I’m pretty sure the hosts are going to treat us right,” Fowles said. “I just want to have fun but at the same time enjoy the experience, because not everybody gets to have this opportunity.”

Moore and Fowles were voted in by fans, fellow players and media members as starters for the West, while Augustus was selected by the WNBA coaches as a reserve and Brunson was chosen by WNBA President Lisa Borders as an injury replacement for Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner.

The Lynx coaching staff will also represent the Lynx in the game. Head coach Cheryl Reeve, along with her entire coaching staff, will be in charge of coaching the West. New York Liberty head coach Bill Laimbeer and his staff will be coaching the Eastern Conference.

“It’s an honor to coach the All-Star Game,” Reeve said. “From my standpoint, what it means is we were a darn good team the year before and I never want to take that for granted. I never want to have something like this that is an honor that I don’t feel like would be exciting to be a part of. That’s how I feel about it. Our staff is going to get a chance to be out there in Seattle and enjoy the festivities. . . Sharing that with them is what makes it special.”

Reeve will serve as a head coach in the All-Star Game for the third time. Moore is making her fifth appearance, Fowles is making her fourth appearance, Augustus is making her seventh appearance and Brunson will take part in her fourth All-Star Game.

The Lynx will be sending three or more players to the All-Star Game for the fifth time in franchise history, which also ties a WNBA record (Detroit – 4, Houston – 4, New York – 4, Los Angeles – 3).

“That’s the bar that we’ve set. We want to be leaders, we want to be the ones at the All-Star Games and the ones setting the bar,” Moore said. “Our coaching staff are very worthy of that assignment because of the work they put in and the dedication and way they lead us. I’m glad that they’ll be able to get honored that way and hopefully they can have fun too with us.”

For all four Lynx players, as well as the coaching staff, the All-Star nods are well-deserved for a group that has and continues to represent Minnesota well.

“I’m excited,” Fowles said. “For me to get back and see what it feels like and see different faces we have to go and face day-in and day-out. At the same time, you need to make sure you’re smart and get back to the team in one piece.”

Moore To Take Part In Three-Point Contest 

Along with the All-Star Game, Moore will also be taking part in the Three-Point Contest, which will occur during halftime of the All-Star Game.

The league announced in June that the long-range competition was returning for the first time in eight years. Moore said she was all in to take part in a competition involving shooting.

“It’s going to add a little twist to the weekend,” Moore said. “If it’s a competition involving shooting and three-pointers, I’m there. It’s going to be fun.”

The contest, which will showcase six WNBA players, is a two-round timed competition in which five shooting locations are positioned around the three-point arc. The players will have one minute to shoot as many of the 25 balls as they can, with three players who tally the highest score advancing to the championship round.

The WNBA, in partnership with the Women’s National Basketball Players Association, will add another new element to the contest. For the first time, $10,000 will be donated to a charity of the winner’s choice in support of her work in the community.

Make sure to tune in to watch Moore, Fowles, Augustus, Brunson and the Lynx coaching staff on Saturday as they all take part in the 2017 WNBA All-Star festivities.

2017 WNBA All-Star Game Information

Who: Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference

Where: Seattle, Washington (KeyArena)

When: 2:30 p.m. CT

Where You Can Tune In: ABC