Players shine at a sold-out WNBA All-Star Game

The top women professional basketball players gathered in Indianapolis on Saturday, to highlight their skills and celebrate a rise in women’s sports. WNBA All-Star weekend brought thousands of fans to the city too, where officials had 10 months to pull everything together.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert praised local leaders for what they were able to accomplish, from airport decorations to downtown events on and off the court.

"[I'm] thrilled to be here in Indianapolis, a city that clearly has been buzzing with basketball energy these past few seasons," Engelbert said.

The mid-season’s marquee event featured players from across the country, including Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark as one of the team captains, Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell and Lexie Hull.

After an injury earlier in the week, Clark had to sit out the 3-Point Challenge and the All-Star Game. Hull stepped in to substitute for Clark in the 3-Point Challenge. She fell short of qualifying for the finals and was eliminated. Reigning champion Sabrina Ionescu won the challenge for the second year in a row.

In the All-Star Game, Boston and Mitchell both played on Clark’s team. Kelsey Mitchell led the team in number of points scored with 20, but it wasn’t enough. Team Collier beat Team Clark 151-131.
 

Mitchell said the experience playing on her home court was special compared to the previous two All-Star games she’s competed in.

"I think everybody played a big part in making this weekend what it was supposed to be," Mitchell said. "Shout out to the city of Indianapolis for putting on a great show for everybody. And I think, hopefully, that the players from the [WNBA] from other teams, enjoy it themselves."

Visiting Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum said it was an incredible weekend in the Circle City.

"Every event that I saw that a player was doing was absolutely packed lines wrapped around, and it was just really cool to see the fan engagement," Plum said. "That’s something that is very unique about our league. I think we’re very personable with the fans, and so I really appreciate Indy for showing out."

While the lighthearted game and athletes' talents took center stage, tension between players and the league over the next collective bargaining agreement (CBA) was also on display. Players stood on the floor during warm-ups wearing shirts that said, "Pay us what you owe us."

Mitchell said it wasn’t done to disrespect the league, but to highlight what players have come to deserve.

"I think it was less about, you know, trying to make a statement, more about, we got to just make sure the statement is clear and cut," Mitchell said.

Commissioner Engelbert said during a press conference that she respects the players and wants to set the league up for decades of success.

"That’s the goal, to have a fair CBA for all," Engelbert said. "I want a lot of the same things the players want."

The negotiation reflects the growth the WNBA has seen in fans. Saturday marked the third year in a row the All-Star Game has been sold-out.

One of those fans is Louisa Hubbard, who was there on Saturday. Hubbard said she drives four hours each way to see the Indiana Fever play. And she said seeing the increase in fans has been incredible.

"I’ve been watching this game for a long time, and it’s just really great to see that it’s finally going mainstream, where it should have been from the beginning," Hubbard said.

For native Hoosier Danielle Loosbrock, to have the state host the event has been a dream come true.

"I love basketball, because everybody in Indiana loves basketball, right?" Loosbrock said. "But it’s amazing to see us get the recognition and have all the crazy fans come to here and see how we do sports and how we do basketball."

That Indiana pride was felt by fans coming from out of town, including Christine Fisher.

"I actually love just walking around," Fischer said. "The city has done so much and so many events. It was so fun to walk around, and to see some of the players out. They did a really amazing job at just hanging out."

The All-Star Game brought with it a number of community outreach events, from athlete hangouts with fans to volunteer community service.

Before team rivalries kick back in, excitement for WNBA All-Star Weekend won't be lost for local fan Abby Krauskopf, who’s already eager for the next time Indy might host again.

"It’s wild seeing these fans, or seeing these players, and being able to be a fan of the game, not just the Fever, but the WNBA in general, and just women, and just being able to see how empowering women have become in the sport," Krauskopf said.

The second half of the WNBA 2025 season starts Tuesday night, with five games scheduled. The Indiana Fever will play the New York Liberty that night at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Contact WFYI All Things Considered newscaster and reporter Samantha Horton at shorton@wfyi.org or on Signal at SamHorton.05