WNBA players have always been awkwardly included in the Celebrity All-Star game. Putting professional basketball players alongside Mark Cuban while Romeo airballs a three-point attempt right before a mannequin challenge is just weird. NBA All-Star Weekend used to include the Shooting Stars Challenge, perennially dominated by Chris Bosh, Dominique Wilkins, and Swin Cash, but the NBA nixed that competition leaving just the Celebrity game.
The game is all in good fun but the NBA may need to do something to better incorporate the WNBA players. Candace Parker believes she could not only compete in an established All-Star Weekend challenge but could actually win it, according to USA Today’s Adi Joseph.
“I think it would be fun to add an event just for the WNBA players, I think it would be a good idea,” Parker said. “Or maybe the Skills Challenge? Maybe allow one WNBA player to be in the skills challenge or something like that.”
Ogwumike liked her Los Angeles Sparks teammate’s idea. And she knows what the result would be.
“Oh, yeah — no doubt she could win,” she said.
Parker even presented evidence: “I think (I would win),” she said. “A big man won last year, right?”
