That night in Phoenix felt different. You could almost feel the energy through the TV screen when the ball tipped off at the Footprint Center. Everyone was talking about the rookies, but by the time the final buzzer rang, the 2024 WNBA All Star Game stats told a much wilder story than just a debut for the new kids on the block.
Team WNBA basically walked into a hornets' nest. They were facing Team USA—a roster literally built to win Olympic gold. Nobody expected the "All-Stars" to actually hand it to the National Team, but they did. A 117-109 victory for the underdogs. It wasn't just a win; it was a statement about the depth of this league. Honestly, the box score looks like something out of a video game.
The Arike Ogunbowale Masterclass
Let's just talk about Arike for a second. Most players take a few minutes to find their rhythm in an exhibition game. Arike Ogunbowale? She didn't score a single point in the first half. Zero. Zilch.
Then the second half started.
She finished with 34 points. All 34 came in the final 20 minutes of play. It’s a new WNBA All-Star Game record. She was hitting shots from the logo like it was a layup line. It’s no wonder she walked away with the MVP trophy. When she gets into that "Arike Mode," there is genuinely no one in the world who can stop her. She was 10-of-20 from the field and 8-of-13 from downtown. That's not just "hot shooting." That's a heat check that never ended.
Caitlin Clark and the Art of the Pass
People were obsessed with whether Caitlin Clark would drop 30. She didn't. She only had 4 points. But if you were actually watching, her 2024 WNBA All Star Game stats showed exactly why she’s a generational floor general.
- 10 Assists: A new record for a rookie in an All-Star Game.
- The Vision: She was threading needles between Olympic defenders like they weren't even there.
- The Connection: Seeing her find Angel Reese for a layup was the "internet-breaking" moment everyone wanted.
Clark played 26 minutes and basically spent the whole time making sure everyone else got a bucket. She tied for the second-most assists in All-Star history, falling just one short of Sue Bird’s record. It’s kinda funny—Clark even joked on the mic during the game that she wanted to break Sue's record just to mess with her. She didn't quite get there, but 10 dimes in your first All-Star appearance against the best defense in the world? Yeah, that'll do.
Angel Reese and the Double-Double Machine
Then you've got Angel Reese. The "Bayou Barbie" did exactly what she does every single night in Chicago. She hunted rebounds.
She ended the night with 12 points and 11 rebounds. That made her the first rookie in WNBA history to record a double-double in an All-Star Game. Think about the legends who have played in this game—Parker, Taurasi, Catchings—and none of them did that as rookies. Reese grabbed five offensive boards. Against A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. Let that sink in for a minute.
Team USA’s Side of the Box Score
It wasn't all about the WNBA squad, though. Team USA used this as their final real tune-up before heading to Paris. Breanna Stewart was an absolute load. She dropped 31 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. If Arike hadn't gone nuclear, Stewie is easily the MVP of this game.
A’ja Wilson added 22 points and 6 rebounds. The starters for Team USA played heavy minutes, which tells you Cheryl Reeve wasn't just "playing around." They wanted to win. The fact that they lost 117-109 actually served as a wake-up call that probably helped them in their gold medal run later that summer.
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Total Team Comparison (The Nitty Gritty)
If you look at the team-wide 2024 WNBA All Star Game stats, the difference-maker was the bench. Team WNBA’s bench outscored Team USA’s bench 54-37. When you can bring players like Kelsey Mitchell (13 points) and Allisha Gray (16 points) off the pine, you're in a good spot.
Team WNBA also shot 50% from the field as a unit. You don't see that often when the defense is comprised of the 12 best players in the country. They also forced 15 turnovers from the National Team. That’s just pesky defense.
Why These Stats Changed the Narrative
For a long time, the WNBA was seen as having a "top-heavy" talent pool. The 2024 All-Star Game killed that argument. When the "snubs" and the "rest of the league" beat the Olympic team, it proved the talent explosion is real.
The viewership numbers backed it up, too. 3.44 million people watched this game. That’s a 300% increase over the previous year. People weren't just tuning in for the hype; they were tuning in for the level of play, and the stats prove the level was sky-high.
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What You Can Do With This Info
If you're looking to understand where the league is heading, don't just look at the highlights.
- Watch the Assist-to-Turnover Ratios: Team WNBA had 31 assists on 44 made baskets. That is elite-level ball movement for a team that only practiced together for a couple of days.
- Monitor the Rookie Impact: Use these stats as a baseline for the 2025 season. When rookies are setting records in the All-Star Game, it means the learning curve in the "W" is getting shorter.
- Appreciate Arike's Efficiency: Next time someone says Arike Ogunbowale is "just a volume shooter," remind them she dropped 34 in a half on 50% shooting against the Olympic roster.
The 2024 WNBA All Star Game stats aren't just numbers in a database. They're a timestamp of the exact moment the league shifted into a new gear. Whether it was the rookie records or Arike's historic flamethrower act, Phoenix 2024 was a turning point.