Arike Ogunbowale was the star player at the WNBA All-Star Game, leading the All-Stars to a 117-109 victory over the U.S. women’s Olympic team at Phoenix’s Footprint Center.
The Dallas Wings guard initially snubbed from the 2021 Tokyo Olympic squad repeated history by clinching the All-Star MVP title once again. This year, Ogunbowale withdrew her name from consideration for the U.S. women’s Olympic team, anticipating another snub.
Instead, she once again captured the MVP title at the WNBA All-Star Game. Ogunbowale caught fire in the second half, scoring 21 points in the third quarter, including 15 from three-pointers, propelling the All-Stars to a 117-109 victory over the Olympic team, as reported by the New York Post.
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Ogunbowale scored all 34 of her points in the second half and lead the All-Stars to a 117-109 victory over the U.S. women’s Olympic team. A major storyline was Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese playing as teammates for the first time, ending years of rivalry that began in high school AAU competitions and continued through intense Iowa-LSU NCAA Tournament matchups.
During an in-game interview, Reese discussed her first experience as Clark’s teammate.
“It’s so cool. When she gets the ball I’m running to look for the ball because I know she’s going to throw it. She’s been great to play with. In the future, we’re going to be playing together a lot. Hopefully, in four years we can be on the Olympic team together,” Reese said.
Reese continued her impressive form with a double-double at the WNBA All-Star Game, tallying 11 points and 11 rebounds. She set a WNBA record with 15 consecutive double-doubles earlier this season.
Clark, despite struggling with her shot and scoring only four points after missing all seven three-point attempts, made a massive impact with her playmaking, dishing out 10 assists, just one shy of Sue Bird’s all-time WNBA All-Star Game record.
The WNBA All-Stars, coached by Hall of Famer Cheryl Miller, saw Ogunbowale deliver a standout performance in the game.
“I’m having fun. I don’t know what I’m doing but I’m having fun,” Miller said in a mic’ed up segment during the game.
After the match, Ogunbowale revealed that Miller had specifically advised her at halftime to “play her game,” which contributed to Ogunbowale’s impactful second-half performance.
“They have absolutely zero answer for you,” Miller could be seen telling Ogunbowale during a break in the fourth quarter.
The game featured a breath of intensity, with players competing vigorously—a stark contrast to the NBA All-Star Game’s more lackluster play. Team USA coach Cheryl Reeve, visibly frustrated by her team’s defensive lapses, expressed her disappointment during an in-game interview as the WNBA All-Stars surged ahead.
“We have work to do and we know that. Sometimes the adversity is good. I don’t think we needed a game like this, per se — we know what we need to do. We just have work to do,” Reeve told reporters after the game.
After the game, Ogunbowale, born to Nigerian parents, reflected on joining Swin Cash, Lisa Leslie, and Maya Moore as the only players to win multiple WNBA All-Star MVP awards.
“They paved the way for us, so it’s definitely dope to be in that conversation,” Ogunbowale said.
