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The WNBA All-Star game is returning to Las Vegas and will look slightly different in this Olympic year. It will be the nation’s best in Team USA players against the rest of the WNBA stars voted in by fans, players, media and coaches.
The annual game will be played Wednesday, July 14 to close the first half of the WNBA’s 25th anniversary season, the league announced on Monday. The game will air on ESPN at 7 p.m. ET from Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, where the Las Vegas Aces play.
The league will also take time during All-Star celebrations to honor the 1996 gold-medal winning national team and its impact on women’s sports as well as helping launch the league.
WNBA All-Star takes on new look
There will be a big change to the format. The 2021 All-Star game will feature All-Star players voted in who play for Team USA against the remaining All-Stars who are voted on by fans, players, media and coaches.
The WNBA schedule will go on a month hiatus during the Tokyo Olympics. The final day of games is July 11 and the first date back is Aug. 15. It has not hosted an All-Star game during an Olympic year since 2000, when the league was in its fourth season and second of hosting the event. It skipped it in 2004, ’08, ’12 and ’16.
The national team is hosting training camp in Las Vegas from July 12-18. They are scheduled to play Australia on July 16 and Nigeria on July 18. The Olympics begin on July 23 with the U.S. playing its first group game on July 27.
This post will be updated.
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