Caitlin Clark, Napheesa Collier swap coaches during WNBA All-Star draft

Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier added a fun twist to the WNBA All-Star Draft on Tuesday night by swapping head coaches instead of players. Clark, the league’s leading vote-getter, was originally paired with Cheryl Reeve of the WNBA-leading Minnesota Lynx. Collier, Reeve’s star forward with the Lynx, was assigned Sandy Brondello, head coach of the New York Liberty.

But following a pre-draft idea floated by Clark, the captains agreed to a coach swap: Brondello will now lead Team Clark, and Reeve will coach Team Collier in the July 19 All-Star Game in Indianapolis.

"I love Cheryl - she’s my coach here," Collier said with a grin on the ESPN broadcast. "But that’s just going to make it worse for Team Clark. Now we’ve got chemistry and synergy. Bad move, Caitlin!"



Clark shot back, reminding Collier that Brondello is the defending champion coach, having led the Liberty past Reeve’s Lynx in last season’s WNBA Finals.

The move carries added intrigue given Reeve’s decision to leave Clark off the Team USA Olympic roster and her past criticism of the WNBA’s heavy marketing focus on the rookie guard.


On the court, Clark drafted Fever teammate Aliyah Boston first overall and later added stars like A’ja Wilson, Sabrina Ionescu, and Satou Sabally.

Collier responded with a powerhouse lineup of Breanna Stewart, Nneka Ogwumike, Allisha Gray, and Paige Bueckers.

While both captains joked about trading players post-draft, they ultimately stuck with their original lineups, setting the stage for a must-watch showdown.

TEAM CLARK:

Starters: Caitlin Clark (Indiana) Aliyah Boston (Indiana) Sabrina Ionescu (New York) A'ja Wilson (Las Vegas) Satou Sabally (Phoenix)

Reserves: Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana) Gabby Williams (Seattle) Sonia Citron (Washington) Kiki Iriafen (Washington) Jackie Young (Las Vegas) Kayla Thornton (Golden State)

TEAM COLLIER:

Starters: Napheesa Collier (Minnesota) Breanna Stewart (New York) Allisha Gray (Atlanta) Nneka Ogwumike (Seattle) Paige Bueckers (Dallas)

Reserves: Courtney Williams (Minnesota) Skylar Diggins (Seattle) Angel Reese (Chicago) Alyssa Thomas (Phoenix) Kelsey Plum (Los Angeles) Rhyne Howard (Atlanta)