WNBA All-Star Game: Western Supremacy Even With Format Changes

The WNBA All-Star Game is supposed to be a “best versus best” type of exhibition basketball game. But going by the results, the Western team tends to kick the Eastern team’s butt. The Western Conference leads the East 10-4 and even if you consider the format changes since 2018, the winning teams have featured key players from the conference.

History of the WNBA All-Star Game

West Owns East Thanks to Los Angeles

Prior to the format change, the Western Conference team won 10 of the 14 WNBA All-Star Games. They can thank Los Angeles for being located in the West for that. In fact, led by Lisa Leslie and the Sparks, the West won the first six All-Star games. It wasn’t until 2006 that the East snapped the streak.

The Sparks have also typically produced the MVP with a record five winners. Lisa Leslie won the first All-Star Game MVP and a total of three in four years. Nikki Teasley then won another while Candace Parker won the most recent one in 2013.

In recent years, the Minnesota Lynx Maya Moore dominated and won three consecutive MVPs. Her third and final one came with the WNBA All-Star Game’s first format change in 2018.

The Format Changes: 2018 Onwards

The WNBA also adapted a format change to the All-Star Game like its male counterpart. In 2018, Candace Parker and Elena Delle Donne drafted their own teams. Of course, Team Parker prevailed with a roster that consisted heavily of Western Conference stars like herself and Moore.

Then when A’ja Wilson became the captain in 2019, her squad edged Delle Donne’s team and then blew out Breanne Stewart’s in 2022. Wilson and her Las Vegas Aces have taken over for the Sparks as the juggernauts of WNBA games today. They are favored to win in this 2023 WNBA All-Star Game.

Team WNBA vs Team USA

In 2021, the WNBA held a special All-Star Game in honor of the Summer Olympics of this year (delayed by one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic). The roster of Team USA would compete against Team WNBA. This led to All-Stars selected mostly from the Western Conference.

But while most of Team USA’s roster consisted of Western Conference All-Stars (10 of 12 players including the whole starting lineup), it would be the WNBA All-Stars prevailing. The caveat is that the winning team was coached by former Western Conference stars Leslie and Tina Thompson.

Las Vegas Aces vs the WNBA?

The current WNBA All-Star Game will have a Las Vegas theme to it. The event is held in the city and Team Wilson consists of four Las Vegas Aces. It may as well be the Aces versus the rest of the WNBA. This wouldn’t be a bad “remix” to the ASG as the Aces have been unstoppable this season and are favored to repeat as champions per WNBA betting news.

For WNBA betting Odds, analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.

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