All the stars approach you, as SZA once belted out. To paraphrase, a Dream might let us know but so might a Spark, or a Mystic, or even a Fever. The 2025 WNBA All-Star proceedings begin Friday night. The leagues top playmakers will dribble and pass through an ornate obstacle course in the Skills Challenge, and then the best long-range shooters will let it rip in the 3-Point Contest. Even though Caitlin Clark (groin) is unable to give it a go in Fridays shootout and Saturdays All-Star Game, theres still a lot to look forward to. Heres what you need to know about the forthcoming broadcasts, this years participants and all the past winners.
Venue: Gainbridge Fieldhouse Indianapolis
Time: 8 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Streaming: Fubo (try for free)
Watching in person? Get tickets on StubHub.
This broadcast will also be available on ESPN+.
First up is the Skills Challenge. Dribblers will be asked to throw bounce, chest and outlet passes, then shoot from the elbow, corner and top of the arc. This years field is entirely comprised of WNBA veterans. Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream) is the youngest contestant at age 30; shes up to the highest scoring average of her nine-year run, and won the 2024 edition over finalist Sophie Cunningham.
Elsewhere, Natasha Cloud (New York Liberty), Erica Wheeler (Seattle Storm) and Courtney Williams (Minnesota Lynx) have all played a full decade in the W, and each guard is enjoying a late-career renaissance with competitive teams. The headliner is Skylar Diggins, the six-time All-WNBA force who leads Seattle in points and assists. All of these Skills Challenge newcomers will be eager to dethrone Gray.
Up next is the 3-Point Contest, a timed and frantic perimeter shoot-around with five racks. Each made trey is worth one point, with a bonus-point money ball at the end of the first four racks. The fifth shooting spot from the far corner is exclusively money balls, and predictably, thats where the competition takes its dramatic swing. There are also two Starry balls from way outside, each worth three points. The two top finishers advance to a second round for a title tilt.
Clark, Indianas hometown superstar, has endured an injury-ridden second season with the Fever. Sadly, lingering injuries will keep her out of the 3-point showdown. Fans can still marvel at defending champ Gray the only player competing in both events and the only player in league history to sweep them the same year plus decorated stars Sabrina Ionescu (Liberty) and Kelsey Plum (Los Angeles Sparks). The field is rounded out by stellar rookie Sonia Citron (Washington Mystics), who is making 36.5 percent of her 3-point attempts on high volume. The 21-year-old Notre Dame product could be a fixture in this format for the next decade or so.
Ionescu won in 2023. Plum (second), Gray (fourth) and Ionescu (fifth) all rank in the top five in made 3s this season.
Natasha Cloud, LibertySkylar Diggins, StormAllisha Gray, DreamErica Wheeler, StormCourtney Williams, Lynx
2003 Dawn Staley2005 Sue Bird2006 Seimone Augustus2007 Becky Hammon2009 Cappie Pondexter2010 Renee Montgomery2019 Diamond DeShields2022 Sabrina Ionescu2023 Kelsey Plum and Chelsea Gray2024 Allisha Gray
Sonia Citron, MysticsAllisha Gray, DreamSabrina Ionescu, LibertyKelsey Plum, SparksCaitlin Clarks replacement TBD
Ticketing and streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Minnesota Lynx, New York Liberty, Seattle Storm, Los Angeles Sparks, Washington Mystics, Atlanta Dream, Indiana Fever, WNBA, Sports Betting, Fubo Partnership, WNBA Highlights
2025 The Athletic Media Company