NEW YORK — Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen, Kayla Thornton and Gabby Williams will be making their WNBA All-Star Game debuts on July 19 in Indianapolis after they were chosen Sunday as reserves for the midseason exhibition.
Thornton has been in the league for nine years and finally is getting her chance to play in the game. She was selected in the expansion draft by the Golden State Valkryies last year from the New York Liberty — who were fresh off the franchise’s first league championship — and has helped her expansion team on the opposite coast get off to a good start.
“It would be such a reward for her,” said New York head coach Sandy Brondello, who will be one of the coaches at the WNBA All-Star Game. “She’s been a role player all her career, but to go into a new organization and do so well, I voted for her as an alternate to get there because she deserves it.”
Williams has been in the league for six seasons — although she has missed time to play with France’s national team — and having a strong season for the Seattle Storm.
Citron and Iriafen of the Washington Mystics join Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers as rookies who were selected. Bueckers, the No. 1 draft pick in April, was chosen as a starter. It’s the first time that three rookies will be playing in the game since 2011.
Other reserves chosen are Skylar Diggins of the Storm, Rhyne Howard (Atlanta Dream), Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever), Kelsey Plum (Los Angeles Sparks), Angel Reese (Chicago Sky), Alyssa Thomas (Phoenix Mercury), Courtney Williams (Minnesota Lynx) and Jackie Young (Las Vegas Aces).
Howard, a former Chattanooga-area prep standout at Bradley Central and the 2022 rookie of the year, is a WNBA All-Star for the third time.
Diggins, who will making her seventh appearance, said “it means a lot to go with these other two” of Seattle teammates Nneka Ogwumike and Williams.
Thomas will be making her sixth appearance and first with the Mercury.
“Any time you’re an All-Star, it’s a huge honor,” Thomas said. “There are a lot of great players in the league. To be around this long and it to be my sixth is a great honor.”
The reserves were selected by the WNBA’s 13 head coaches, who each voted for three guards, five frontcourt players and four players at either position regardless of conference. The coaches were not able to vote for their own players.
All-Star captains Caitlin Clark of the host Fever and Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx, the top two vote recipients among starters, will draft their teams Tuesday. First they’ll choose from the eight other starters announced last Monday: Bueckers, Ogwumike, Aliyah Boston of the Fever, Allisha Gray of the Dream, Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart of the Liberty, Satou Sabally of the Mercury and A’ja Wilson of the Aces.
Notable players not selected included Natasha Cloud of the Liberty, Dearica Hamby of the Sparks, Brionna Jones of the Dream and Brittney Sykes of the Mystics.
The Connecticut Sun were the only team without a selection for this year’s WNBA All-Star Game.
WNBA ALL-STAR ROSTERS
Saturday, July 19
At Indianapolis
Captains will draft teams on Tuesday, July 8
Captains: Caitlin Clark, G, Indiana; Napheesa Collier, F, Minnesota.
Starters: Paige Bueckers, G, Dallas; Sabrina Ionescu, G, New York; Allisha Gray, G, Atlanta; A’ja Wilson, F, Las Vegas; Breanna Stewart, F, New York; Aliyah Boston, F, Indiana; Nneka Ogwumike, F, Seattle; Satou Sabally, F, Phoenix.
Reserves: Sonia Citron, G, Washington; Skylar Diggins, G, Seattle; Rhyne Howard, G, Atlanta; Kiki Iriafen, F, Washington; Kelsey Mitchell, G, Indiana; Kelsey Plum, G, Los Angeles; Angel Reese, F, Chicago; Alyssa Thomas, F, Phoenix; Kayla Thornton, F, Golden State; Courtney Williams, G, Minnesota; Gabby Williams, G, Seattle; Jackie Young, G, Las Vegas.