Lynx Forward Rebekkah Brunson Named Replacement Player For Verizon WNBA All-Star 2017

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL – The WNBA today announced Rebekkah Brunson has been chosen by WNBA President Lisa Borders as an injury replacement for Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner, who is sidelined with knee/ankle injuries, on the 2017 Western Conference All-Star team. Brunson will be making her fourth career All-Star appearance (2007, 2011, 2013), and her third as a member of the Lynx. She joins teammates Sylvia Fowles and Maya Moore, who were named All-Star starters last Tuesday and Seimone Augustus, who was named an All-Star reserve yesterday. The Lynx foursome will be coached in this year’s game by head coach Cheryl Reeve, who is joined on the bench by assistants Shelley Patterson and James Wade.

The Lynx will have four representatives at the All-Star Game for a WNBA-record third time (2011 and 2013). No other team in league history has had four or more representatives more than once. Only Connecticut (who sent five in 2006), Detroit (2005), Houston (2006) and New York (1999) have sent four players to the All-Star Game. The Seattle Storm will host the Verizon WNBA All-Star 2017 at KeyArena on Saturday, July 22, and the game will be nationally televised by ABC at 2:30 p.m. CT.

Brunson, a 14-year pro out of Georgetown University, is averaging 10.8 ppg, her highest scoring mark since 2012, and adding 6.7 rpg. Brunson surpassed Tina Thompson (3070) for third place on the league’s all-time rebounding list June 30 at Phoenix. She grabbed her 3000th career rebound May 20 at Dallas, becoming the fifth player in league history to accomplish the feat. In her previous 13 seasons, Brunson had made two three-pointers and attempted 12. This season she has made 16 threes while shooting a career-high 42.1% from deep.

From the Eastern Conference, New York’s Sugar Rodgers will replace Washington Mystics forward Elena Delle Donne who will miss the All-Star Game due to an ankle injury.

Today’s game vs. Dallas is the annual “Day Game” presented by Delta Dental, with over 13,000 day campers and fans from across the state invading Xcel Energy Center. Kids will be participating in on-court contests throughout the game, which tips off at 12 noon. Tickets are still available by calling 612-673-8400 or by visiting lynxbasketball.com/tickets.