The WNBA has unveiled a novel All-Star Weekend event as part of celebrations marking the league’s 30th anniversary. The “Shooting Stars” competition will replace the traditional Skills Challenge and is scheduled for Friday night at 8 p.m. ET during the 2026 All-Star Weekend in Chicago.
The competition features four teams, each representing a different WNBA franchise and comprising players from three distinct generations of women’s basketball. The legendary tier includes four former WNBA players: two-time MVP Elena Delle Donne representing Washington, three-time MVP Lauren Jackson representing Seattle, five-time WNBA champion Rebekkah Brunson representing Minnesota, and three-time WNBA champion Deanna “Tweety” Nolan representing Dallas and Detroit. These teams will be completed by current WNBA athletes including Shakira Austin, Flau’jae Johnson, Courtney Williams, and Jessica Sheppard, along with high school prospects from the Nike EYBL program. Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon, serving as honorary general managers for the All-Star Game, will act as designated passers for two teams each.
The competition format consists of two rounds in which teams have 70 seconds to accumulate points from seven shooting locations positioned around the court, ranging from layup distance to long-range three-pointers. The two highest-scoring teams from the opening round advance to a championship round. Prize compensation follows the structure previously established for the Skills Challenge, with current players receiving $7,500 for participation and winning teams earning an additional $15,000.
The Shooting Stars concept is not new to professional basketball’s All-Star weekend. The NBA introduced the event in 2004 and continued it through 2015, initially featuring one current NBA player, one current WNBA player, and one retired NBA legend per team. The league revived the competition during the 2026 All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles with modified rosters. The WNBA’s version represents an adaptation of this established format tailored to women’s basketball.
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