NEW YORK – Former Bradley Central High School and University of Kentucky star Rhyne Howard was named a reserve for the WNBA All-Star Game, the league announced Tuesday.
Courtney Vandersloot, Kahleah Copper and Emma Meesseman will get a chance to play before their home fans, as the trio was also selected Tuesday as reserves for the game on July 10 in Chicago.
The Chicago Sky stars will join Candace Parker, who was voted as a starter to the game last week.
Other reserve guards picked Tuesday included Washington’s Ariel Atkins, Phoenix’s Skylar Diggins-Smith, Seattle’s Jewell Loyd and Dallas’ Arike Ogunbowale. The coaches were not able to vote for their own players.
Las Vegas’ Dearica Hamby, New York’s Natasha Howard and Connecticut’s Brionna Jones and Alyssa Thomas also were chosen in the frontcourt. Jones is the only player to make the All-Star Game this season while coming off the bench.
Chicago’s James Wade will coach one team, while Las Vegas’ Becky Hammon will lead the other. The league announced last week that Breanna Stewart and Sylvia Fowles will co-captain one squad, while Bird and A’ja Wilson will draft for the other. All four were chosen starters. Fowles and Bird announced earlier this year that they would retire after the season ended.
The teams will be drafted on Saturday.