July 20. That is the date when Team USA will come face to face with the Team WNBA. The recently revealed All-Star team has immense skill to put any world team to shame. However, with the amount of talent available in the league, it comes as a surprise that many stars could not make it to the Team USA or the WNBA All-Star squad.
Today, let’s take a look at the top 5 stars who had a fair chance of making it to the All-Star squad but were omitted. For starters, it would come as a surprise one of Clark’s rivals Chennedy Carter has failed to make it to the team.
Chennedy Carter
Carter was the fourth overall pick in 2020 by the Atlanta Dream. She is a new transfer to the Chicago Sky this year but has scored 16.6 points per game. She stands at the fourteenth spot on the list of offensive leaders for WNBA 2024. Considering the minimal time she has taken to adjust to the game at the highest level, Carter could have been a valuable addition to the All-Star Team.
Carter’s best performance this season came when she scored 33 points in early July against the Seattle Storm. Plus, another point that goes in favor of Carter is that she has been really consistent. Looking at her strengths of which physicality is definitely one, Carter could have been a vital third or fourth player. Hence, fans will miss seeing her on the court when the All-Stars play against Team USA.
Ezi Magbegor
Another player who could have taken the All-Star team to another level is the Seattle Storm’s Ezi Magbegor. Magbegor’s case stands valid since she was included in the WNBA All-Star team in 2023. She has also been a champion winning the WNBA in 2020. Even in the current season, Magbegor has scored 13.2 points with 9 rebounds per game. Hence, she has played well in both offense and defense this year and could be relied on considering Team USA has stars like A’ja Wilson.
Another point to note is that Magbegor has 2.5 blocks per game, occupying the second spot in the WNBA blocks list this year only second to Wilson. Plus, Magbegor would have brought another level of fandom with her to the game dominated by Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark.
Skylar Diggins-Smith
Smith is another player whom the fans will miss. She has been a part of the All-Star team 6 times. She has been active since 2013 when she was drafted by the Tulsa Shock hence no amount of words can match up her talent. Smith has scored 14.0 points with 6.4 assists per game this season. Hence, Smith would have helped the team by playing a supporting role.
Her ability to find open spaces is unparalleled, coupled with her experience and gaming acumen could have been a deadly combination and her addition would have increased the chances of playing a tight neck-to-neck battle. Fans are pretty sure that even Team USA will miss not getting to play against Smith before the Olympics.
Marina Mabrey
Another Chicago Sky player on the list is Marina Mabrey. Mabrey has not only made a name for herself in America but also in Europe and other parts of the world. She was a winner of the Lega Basket Femminile in 2022-23. She also tasted victory when she won the NCAA Championship in 2018 with Notre Dame.
The Sky guard has been playing a complete game and flaunting her exceptional skills in this year’s WNBA. She has scored 13.6 with 4.9 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. Her comprehensive skills could have definitely benefited the All-Star team since Mabrey easily adjusts to the game and her fluidity surely makes her deserving of a spot in the All-Star Team.
DiJonai Carrington
The Connecticut Sun are going strong with a 17-5 tally and one of the main reasons for their exemplary display is their guard DiJonai Carrington. Carrington has scored 13.0 points with 4.9 rebounds per game. Therefore, her inclusion would have definitely benefited the All-Star team in the backcourt. From being picked up as the 20th overall pick to becoming a mainstay for the Sun, Carrington has shown a massive improvement in her game. She has demonstrated that she can take responsibility for the team when the situation demands.
via Getty
Her best performance of 22 points this season has come against the Indiana Fever and the Washington Mystics which again proves that though she is not the best offensive player out there but can contribute well when the situation demands. Therefore, it would have been great watching Carrington in action during the outing against Team USA on July 20th.
While these players haven’t been selected, they can continue their on-song performances in the WNBA. And hopefully next year they’ll earn themselves a spot in the All-Star team.
Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the infamous Shaq-Kobe feud, Caitlin Clark’s Olympic snub, and more, watch this video.
