WNBA Wraparound: Allisha Gray, Arike Ogunbowale dominate All-Star weekend, Marina Mabrey traded to Sky
By Noa Dalzell
Last week marked the end of the WNBA season—for now. Due to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris (July 26 to Aug. 11), the league is taking a month-long break, with the second-half of the season resuming on August 15. But this past week was an eventful one, with a rare midseason trade that sent shockwaves around the league just days before the All-Star weekend.
Here’s everything you need to know.
3 highlights from last week around the WNBA
Marina Mabrey sent to Connecticut Sun in rare midseason trade: On Wednesday, the Chicago Sky traded sharpshooter Marina Mabrey to the Sun in exchange for Rachel Banham and Moriah Jefferson. The Sky also received a 2025 first-round pick and a 2026 first-round pick swap, and gave up a 2025 second-round pick.
Mabrey is averaging 14 points per game and 2.3 three-pointers a night. The Sun have been toward the bottom of the league in three-point shooters all season and could benefit from her range and self-creation. Banham and Jefferson were veterans and beloved members of the locker room, but both played a fairly limited on-court role. Jefferson is also recovering from ankle surgery and has missed most of the season with injuries. Veronica Burton, acquired by the Sun last month, has been effective as the back-up point guard.
Banham, however, is fresh off of the best performance of the season, in which she set a WNBA record for most three-pointers off the bench (8). An assistant coach at the University of Minnesota during the winter, Banham will provide a veteran presence for a team with two high-ceiling rookies in Angel Reese and Kamila Cardoso.
For the Sky, the move signals a desire to stock up on future draft capital and bring in additional veterans to bolster the locker room. For the Sun, it indicates the front office likely believed they were a move away from legitimate championship contention. While Connecticut boasts the second-best record in the league (18-6), they fell to 0-4 against the Aces and Liberty this season and struggled to score at times. Mabrey, an elite shot creator, should help in that regard, despite being in the midst of an offensive down year.
“We are extremely excited to welcome Marina Mabrey to the Connecticut Sun,” said Sun general manager Darius Taylor in an official statement. “She is a player that we feel will give us the extra edge to compete for a championship this year.”
Caitlin Clark breaks all-time single-game assist record: The rookies keep making history. Earlier this month, Angel Reese broke the all-time record for most consecutive double-doubles (15). Last week, it was Caitlin Clark who made history, dishing out 19 assists—the most ever in a single game. Clark finished with 24 points (10-19 FG) and 19 assists in a loss to the Wings.
Before Clark could respond to a question about breaking the assist record, Fever teammate Aliyah Boston interrupted: “She’s going to say it means nothing, but I think it’s pretty cool. I think that’s pretty cool. So, sorry.”
The previous record for most assists in a game was 18, set by Courntey Vandersloot in 2020. Clark’s 213 total assists for this season are the second most by a rookie, and approaching Ticha Penicheiro’s record of 225.
“I just try to set my teammates up for success,” Clark said. “I think at times I can almost overpass.”
Chennedy Carter goes off for 34 points against the Aces: In her last game before the break, Carter made a strong case for why she may have been one of the biggest All-Star snubs. On Tuesday, Carter, who is averaging 16.4 points this season, exploded for a season-high 34 points on 14-24 in a 93-85 win against the Aces.
"I have not seen a defender this season consistently keep Chennedy Carter in front of them,” tweeted WNBA legend Rebecca Lobo. “She can get by anyone.”
With the win, the Sky improved to 10-14 on the season, good for the last spot in the playoffs. Carter, who started the season on the bench, has increasingly become one of the team’s most important players.
“She’s our energy,” said Sky head coach Theresa Weatherspoon. “She makes our engine go.”
All Star Weekend: Arike Ogunbowale, Team WNBA defeats Team USA, Allisha Gray sweeps 3-Point Contest and Skills Challenge
Team USA defeated Team WNBA 117-109 in the All-Star game. It’s just the second time the league has utilized this format, where the Olympic team plays in an exhibition game against the rest of the All-Stars. (In 2021, Team WNBA defeated the Olympic squad behind 26 points from Arike Ogunbowale, who was named MVP.)
Ogunbowale somehow managed to outdo herself. After going scoreless in the first half, she exploded for 34 second-half points, breaking her own All-Star game scoring record and handily winning MVP. Angel Reese added a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double off the bench, and Caitlin Clark finished the night with 10 assists, the most-ever by a rookie in the All-Star game. Nneka Ogwomike dropped 14 en route to the victory.
“We’re here to make them better,” Reese told ESPN afterward.
Team USA was led by Breanna Stewart, who finished with 31 points and 10 rebounds. A’ja Wilson had 22 points and 6 rebounds, and Diana Taurasi added 14 points and 5 assists.
Meanwhile, the Dream’s Allisha Gray had herself a weekend, winning both the Kia Skills Challenge and the Starry 3-Point Contest. Thanks in part to an Aflac sponsorship that provided a $55,000 cash prize for each winner, she earned $115,150 for winning. That’s 62% of her WNBA salary for the 2024 season. Gray beat out Mercury’s Sophie Cunningham in the Skills Challenge and the Liberty’s Jonquel Jones in the shooting contest. It was the first time in league history that one player won both All-Star competitions. In the All-Star game, she also added 16 points.
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