The 2025 WNBA All-Star Game (Was Kinda Meh)

Hey Hoop Heads — I’m back with a fully loaded All-Star edition of Her Game Her Voice and I’ve got a lot to share including:

🏀 A break down the highs, lows, and the "meh" of the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis

📣 A fantastic listener question about the WNBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (spoiler: it’s a BIG DEAL)

👕 Thoughts about the players’ bold “Pay Us What You Owe Us” shirts

💬 And of course, the Awards are back including:

• An Airball for ESPN Analyst Elle Duncan’s Cancun comment… it was wild
• A Flagrant Foul for All-Star Kelsey Plum’s “not to tattletale” press conference statement

Plus, shoutout to the STUDBUDZ for giving us the best All-Star weekend content (Napheesa Collier agrees with me on this.) 🐶✨

—

🔗 Follow me on IG: @hergamehervoice

💌 Send a question for a future episode: hergamehervoice@gmail.com

🎧 Rate & review to help more fans find the show!

#WNBA #AllStar2025 #HerGameHerVoice #WNBPA #CBA #WomensBasketball

“Big stories, little episodes—amplifying the voices shaping the game on and off the court." - Her Game Her Voice Podcast by Kaari Peterson

Transcript

Kaari: 0:04

Greetings, hoop heads, and welcome to another episode of Her Game, Her Voice, the podcast with big stories and little episodes all about women's basketball. I'm your host, Kari Peterson.

Kaari: 0:15

In today's episode, I'll start us off with some Golden State Valkyries news, answer a listener question about the WNBA's CBA, and talk about the WNBA All-Star Game. And of course, I'll wrap it up with the awards.

Kaari: 0:29

So let's tip it off.

Kaari: 0:34

And now some updates on our Golden State Valkyries. First off, shout out to Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase for winning WNBA Coach of the Month for June. Way to go, coach!

Kaari: 0:46

In other news, after starting the season as long shots, Golden State is now favored to accomplish a WNBA first. The Athletic recently reported, quote, "the Golden State Valkyries were never supposed to be this good." Yep, nobody saw this coming, myself included. And proof can be found in sports betting.

Kaari: 1:09

In betting circles, the Valkyries opened the season at a win total /over under nine and a half games. That means most people thought the Valkyries' total games won out of a 44-game season would be less than 10 games. Well, the Valkyries have already surpassed that mark with 10 wins and 25 games left to go.

Kaari: 1:31

And even better, the Valkyries are favored to make the playoffs in their inaugural season. They opened with the longest odds to make the playoffs in the entire league. The odds were 16-1. And as of July 11th, they are favored to clinch a postseason berth, which requires finishing in the top eight of the 13-team league.

Kaari: 1:52

As I mentioned in Episode 7 of Her Game, Her Voice, of the league's 10 other expansion teams, none has ever made the playoffs in their first season. and only one had a winning record, the Detroit Shock in 1998. The Valkyries have been excellent at home, and it seems reasonable that they'll finish at the 500 mark, meaning that they would end the regular season with 22 wins.

Kaari: 2:14

But Golden State's closing stretch of games will be tough. Two of the final home games are against Minnesota. Yikes. Who creates these schedules?

Kaari: 2:24

I think we need to explore that in an upcoming episode of this podcast. I'll make a note of it.

Kaari: 2:32

And now let's move on to our listener question. Today, our question comes from Susie in Atlanta. She asked, what exactly is the WNBA CBA and why does it matter?

Kaari: 2:42

Great question. Well, the CBA stands for Collective Bargaining Agreement. It's a contract between the WNBA and the WNBA Players Association. The contract governs the terms of employment for players. And negotiating a new CBA is one of the most important actions in the WNBA this season.

Kaari: 3:03

The CBA is crucial for the future of the WNBA because it directly impacts players' satisfaction, league stability, and the overall growth of the sport. It's basically the blueprint that shapes how the league operates and how players are treated.

Kaari: 3:17

The Players Association, led by its president, Seattle Storm power forward Nneka Ogwumike, is pushing for a transformational CBA this time around. Neckan knows that with the popularity of the WNBA at an all-time high, the Players Association has a lot more leverage when it comes to negotiating with owners.

Kaari: 3:37

The bottom line? Negotiating the new CBA is a BFD, a Big Fudging Deal.

Kaari: 3:44

Thanks for the question, Susie.

Kaari: 3:47

Do you have a question for me? You can reach me via the Her Game, Her Voice social channels.

Kaari: 3:55

All right, my lovely listeners, let's talk about the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game. It happened last Saturday, July 19th in Indianapolis, which meant the Indiana Fever were a proud hosts.

Kaari: 4:08

Let me tell you, the city showed up! The airport, completely decked out in All-Star gear. Gainbridge Fieldhouse, draped in gigantic posters of Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier, and of course, Indy's own Caitlin Clark. It truly felt like the place to be.

Kaari: 4:26

But the game itself? How do I say this delicately? It was meh.

Kaari: 4:35

And don't just take my word for it. Let's go to the reviews.

Kaari: 4:38

From Just Women Sports, "vibes were high and defense was optional." "More congenial than competitive." "If fans wanted a real game, they should have rewatched 2024's Team USA vs. WNBA All-Star Game."

Kaari: 4:52

And honestly, they weren't wrong. I love seeing my favorite players team up for the All-Star game. But I'm here to say, this year I felt kind of ripped off. I mean, I was so bored watching this basketball game that I started actively listening to the announcers. Yeah, that was me.

Kaari: 5:10

So what actually happened? Let me break it down. First of all, there was a rules remix. This year, the league switched some things up. There was a faster 20-second shot clock. and there were live substitutions. And they said that these things were for the fans. Really?

Kaari: 5:28

I mean, sure, the quarters flew by, but that didn't exactly boost the fun. I felt sort of like I had been enjoying a dinner at a restaurant and then they rushed me out the door before offering me dessert.

Kaari: 5:41

I admit it, I probably went into this game with expectations that were a little unreasonable. You see, last year's All-Star Game was electric. It was Team USA versus the WNBA All-Stars, and there was intensity and drama. I even hosted a watch party, and we were glued to the TV.

Kaari: 6:00

So this year, I went bigger. More snacks, more friends. But halfway through the game, we were all asking the same question. "Why are we still watching this?"

Kaari: 6:10

Okay, okay, I don't want to sound like a complete Debbie Downer. There were some bright spots, like Friday night. The skills challenge and three-point shootout was great. Despite Caitlin Clark sitting out with a groin injury, Friday night delivered. And my girl Lexi Hull, Stanford alum and current Indiana Fever player, got to represent in the three-point contest. These Friday night events are always fun to watch. So why not make them bigger? More players, more rounds, more fun for the fans! Yay! Another all-star bright spot, Natasha Cloud. who won the skills challenge and immediately ran over to hug girlfriend and teammate Isabelle Harrison. Apparently, Isabelle told Natasha to win so they could use the prize money as a down payment on a house.

Kaari: 7:00

Well, Cloud took that challenge seriously, so while other players were out partying on Thursday night, she was back at the hotel asleep. That's commitment and romance.

Kaari: 7:11

And as for the three-point shootout? Sabrina Ionescu took it home, giving the New York Liberty a clean sweep of Friday's events. And then she pulled off a really classy move. Sabrina split her winnings with rookie Sonia Citron.

Kaari: 7:26

Before the three-point shootout, Sonia was telling Sabrina that she was super nervous. And it makes sense to be nervous. I mean, Sonia was the only rookie participating in the event. So in an effort to calm Sonia's nerves, Sabrina promised her that if she won... she would split half of her winnings with Sonia.

Kaari: 7:45

Now that's a class act!

Kaari: 7:47

And what about Saturday highlights? Let's just say it was challenging for me to make this list. But here goes.

Kaari: 7:56

The first good thing about Saturday's game was the players' message t-shirts. All the players hit the court wearing "Pay us what you owe us t-shirts." It was a unified visual response to ongoing CBA negotiations. Nneka Ogwumike, president of the Players Association, broke it down like this. "They're not asking for favors. They just want a fair share as the league grows and investments pour in. Period."

Kaari: 8:23

Another highlight? The Stud budz. In fact, some people are calling the Minnesota Lynx Courtney Williams and Natisha Heidemann, a.k.a. the Studbudz, the real MVPs of the weekend. Their 72-hour Twitch livestream was legendary. They delivered unfiltered and hilarious behind-the-scenes content like players letting loose on the dance floor on Thursday night. Even Napheesa Collier said it was the highlight of her All-Star weekend.

Kaari: 8:53

Okay, now that I've given out some flowers, let's talk trash. Uh, I mean, let me share some constructive criticism about the All-Star game.

Kaari: 9:05

We'll start with ESPN's broadcast. I felt like I was watching something produced by my high school's AV club. I love a good wide-angle shot. But the entire game looked like it was filmed from the nosebleed section. The camera was static. There were no close-ups, no player reactions. Just zoom out, pan left, back and forth, back and forth. Gainbridge Fieldhouse is a professional arena. We've seen it look good before. So what the heck, ESPN? What happened?

Kaari: 9:37

Next up... Live substitutions. Cool in theory. A mess during the game. This change was supposed to be fan-friendly. Instead, it was fan-confusing. I didn't know who was in and who was out. Did Kiki just score? Or was that Kayla? My friends and I kept rewinding the broadcast just so we could identify who made the last shot. Come to think of it, the announcers must have been confused too because they weren't telling us who made the last shot.

Kaari: 10:05

Next on my list... No defense, no stakes, no fun. Look, I get it, it's an all-star game. We don't expect playoff-level defense, but zero defense? That's a snoozefest. At one point, a friend at my watch party said, this feels like warm-up drills. And sadly, they weren't wrong. Even Rebecca Lobo was like, "I don't think anyone's going to be mad if we skip breaking this one down after the game."

Kaari: 10:32

I saw WNBA fans online saying that they turned off the game after the first few minutes. That's not just a bummer, that's a missed opportunity.

Kaari: 10:41

So to wrap it up, here's the deal. The WNBA All-Star Weekend had some great moments. Players showed up, fans showed love. But if the game itself is going to be the crown jewel of a weekend, it has to actually shine. See what I did there?

Kaari: 10:58

Give us drama, give us intensity, give us something to cheer for. And until you do, I'll be watching the Stud budz stream on repeat.

Kaari: 11:09

And now it's time for me to hand out some awards. This week's buzzer beater award goes to the WNBA Players Association for using the All-Star game to send a timely message.

Kaari: 11:23

Having the All-Stars wear "Pay Us What You Owe Us" t-shirts on the court was a bold move, and it motivated fans to join in and repeat the message. After the game on Saturday, Gainbridge Fieldhouse was full of fans holding up signs that said, "Pay the Players." It was a brilliant way to send a message to WNBA owners.

Kaari: 11:43

And that's why the WNBA Players Association wins this week's Buzzer Beater Award.

Kaari: 11:50

This week's Air Ball Award goes to ESPN women's basketball analyst Elle Duncan for making a sexual comment during the All-Star Game broadcast.

Kaari: 11:59

Duncan was anchoring the All-Star ESPN desk with Andrea Carter and Stanford alum Chiney Ogumike on Saturday. During the halftime break, the women were bantering back and forth about the lack of defense in the game. And as I said earlier in this podcast, a lack of defense during an All-Star game is nothing new. But what Duncan had to say about it was definitely new.

Kaari: 12:22

She shared a lewd description of how the first half had gone. Here's what she said. "We hope it gets a little bit more competitive. Because like a girl's trip to Cancun, right now there's no D."

Kaari: 12:33

I actually laughed at what Duncan said. It was funny, but probably not appropriate for a national television broadcast.

Kaari: 12:41

And that's why Elle Duncan wins this week's Airball Award.

Kaari: 12:45

This week's Flagrant Foul Award goes to Kelsey Plum.

Kaari: 12:50

I have a love-hate relationship with Kelsey. Sometimes she's an exceptional role model and representative of the league. (I love her.) Like the way she supports new WNBA players with DAWG camp.

Kaari: 13:02

And other times, well, she kind of has this tendency to say things that make her look bad. (I do not love her.) Like after the All-Star game on Saturday in the press conference, someone asked her about the All-Star players' decision to wear the pay us what you owe us shirts. She said that wearing the shirts was a very powerful moment, and then she went on to explain that the players decided as a group on Saturday morning to wear the shirts. Plum then said, "the t-shirt was determined this morning. Not to tattletale..."

Kaari: 13:29

Okay, time out. Anytime you say "not to tattletale", it's sort of like saying, "I don't want to offend you, but..." If you have to say "not to tattletale", just shut your mouth right there.

Kaari: 13:41

But Plum, in her infinite wisdom said, "Not to tattletale, but zero members of Team Clark were present for that."

Kaari: 13:49

And then to top things off, Plum went on to talk about the players being united.

Kaari: 13:54

Really, Kelsey?

Kaari: 13:55

How can you even say that after you just threw shade at Caitlin Clark and her All-Star teammates? And if you're really concerned about CBA negotiations and salary levels, you should keep in mind that Caitlin Clark is one of the reasons you have leverage for salary discussions this time around.

Kaari: 14:11

Kelsey Plum, you have definitely earned this week's Flagrant Foul Award.

Kaari: 14:20

I'm Kari Peterson, and you've been listening to Her Game, Her Voice. If you'd like to hear more episodes of Her Game, Her Voice, please follow the podcast. Following the podcast is easy. Just go to the Her Game, Her Voice show page on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Tap on the plus sign or click on "follow".

Kaari: 14:40

And now you won't miss an episode. It's really that easy.

Kaari: 14:44

And while you're on the show page, I would be grateful if you would take a few minutes to give Her Game, Her Voice a great rating or review. And better yet, please share an episode with a friend.

Kaari: 14:54

Her Game, Her Voice can also be found on Substack, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.

Kaari: 15:00

Thanks again for listening and happy hoopin'!