2014 WNBA Champion, two-time Defensive Player of the Year and 2017 WNBA Scoring Champion Brittney Griner was named a starter for AT&T WNBA All-Star 2019, the league office announced today. It marks the sixth career selection for Griner, every season the game has taken place during her career (2013-15, 2017-19).
Griner remains one of the league’s most dominant players, this season leading the league in scoring (20.0), ranking ninth in rebounding (7.5), third in blocks (2.2) and fifth in field goal percentage (53.4). She is the only player in the WNBA this season averaging at least 20 points, seven rebounds and two blocks per game, number only average by one NBA player during the 2018-19 season (Anthony Davis).
Griner’s production has improved even more over the Mercury’s last six games, a stretching during which she has led the Mercury to a 5-1 record, and averaged 23.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.7 blocks, while shooting 62.5 percent from the field. She has scored 20 or more in a career-high five consecutive games and this week was named the WNBA’s Western Conference Player of the Week.
Griner added yet another milestone to her resume this season, becoming just the third player in WNBA history to reach 600 career blocks on July 7 against Atlanta, joining Margo Dydek and Lisa Leslie.
AT&T WNBA All-Star 2019 is slated for Saturday, July 29 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC. The two top vote getters from the 10 announced starters today will serve as captains and draft their teams from the pool of starters and reserves. The remaining 12 reserves will be voted on by team coaches and announced on Monday, July 15.
After coming within one win of trip to the WNBA Finals, the Phoenix Mercury return in 2019 in search of a league-record tying fourth WNBA title. Led by the All-Star trio of Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner and DeWanna Bonner, Phoenix looks to continue its title quest on July 12 in Connecticut. Tickets for the Mercury’s next home game on Wednesday, July 17 against the Dallas Wings, and the remaining 10 home games, at Talking Stick Resort Arena can be purchased by calling 602.252.WNBA or by visiting PhoenixMercury.com.