Liberty's Ionescu, Vandersloot Among WNBA All-Star Reserves
Make Stew friends ... but keep the old.
Sabrina Ionescu and Courtney Vandersloot will join New York Liberty teammate Breanna Stewart at the 2023 WNBA All-Star Game, the pair revealed among the dozen reserves on Saturday afternoon. All-Star reserves were voted upon by the league's dozen head coaches unable to select their own players.
New York will have three players at the All-Star behind, only four for the defending champion Las Vegas Aces.
Ionescu will make her second All-Star Game appearance, previously partaking in last year's game in Chicago. So far this season, Ionescu is averaging 15.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists. She has been particularly active on the three-point front, as the 36 she has sunk so far this season rank fourth in the WNBA. In a June 9 win over Atlanta, Ionescu set a new Liberty single-game record with eight triples in a single game. Ionescu also became the fastest guard to haul in 500 rebounds in WNBA history.
Like Stewart, Vandersloot is one of the high-profile newcomers the Liberty added over the offseason. She has lived up to the hype to the tune of 11.2 points and a league-best 8.4 assists a game. Vandersloot is set to make her fourth consecutive All-Star appearance and fourth in a row. She likewise set a WNBA landmark by becoming the fastest player (and only third overall) to earn 2,500 assists in her career.
The 2023 WNBA All-Star Game will be staged on July 15 at Michelob Ultra Arena. Stewart and Aces star A'ja Wilson will captain the All-Star teams for the second straight season, with the latter's group prevailing by a 134-112 final last season. Ionescu had 19 points while Vandersloot, then repping the hosting Chicago Sky, led all participants with eight assists.
Stewart and Wilson will pick their teams on July 8 (1 p.m. ET, ESPN). Becky Hammon (Las Vegas) and Stephanie White (Connecticut) will serve as head coaches.
Four first-time All-Stars joined Ionescu and Vandersloot on the reserves' list, including Atlanta teammates Allisha Gray and Cheyenne Parker, as well as Ezi Magbegor (Seattle) and Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana). Returning to the exhibition are DeWanna Bonner (Connecticut), Napheesa Collier (Minnesota), Kahleah Copper (Chicago), Elena Delle Donne (Washington), Alyssa Thomas (Connecticut), and defending All-Star Game MVP Kelsey Plum (Las Vegas).
In the meantime, the Liberty will cap off a three-game road trip on Sunday evening in Seattle (6 p.m. ET, YES/CBSSN).
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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