We’ve finally arrived at WNBA All-Star Weekend. After an extremely competitive first half of the season, everyone gets to take a breath and the fans get to enjoy as the best of the best show off their skills in Indianapolis. Friday night’s festivities include the Skills Challenge for the fourth year running.
Let’s break down the field on the DraftKings Sportsbook before predicting and picking a winner.
The Participants
Allisha Gray, Atlanta Dream: The reigning WNBA Skills Challenge winner, Allisha Gray can do it all. A three-time All-Star, Gray can shoot with the best of them, hitting 38.9% of her 6.0 three-point attempts per game. She’s also averaging a career-high 3.9 assists per game for the Dream. In a contest that requires you to dribble, pass, and shoot, she’s made to thrive here.
Skylar Diggins, Seattle Storm: One of the best passers in the league, it’s a surprise that Skylar Diggins has never been in this contest. The 34-year-old is racking up 5.8 assists per game this year while shooting 40% from deep on good volume. It’s going to be a hometown game of sorts for Diggins, the South Bend native. Perhaps with some extra family in the building, she can put on a show.
Courtney Williams, Minnesota Lynx: If there were a buckets challenge, Courtney Williams would be at the top of the list. The 31-year-old is having one of her best all-around seasons, making 37% of her career-high 4.0 three-point attempts per game. She’s dishing out six assists per game to boot. One of the most entertaining players in the league, I look forward to seeing her show off some skills on Friday.
Natasha Cloud, New York Liberty: One of the best passers in the league, Tasha belongs in any passing contest. This is her fifth straight season averaging more than six assists per game. But the shooting may trip her up as the 33-year-old is hitting just 31% of her looks from deep on the season. Not missing passes saves you time, but missed threes are killer. It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out for Cloud.
Erica Wheeler, Seattle Storm: A second Seattle Storm player enters the WNBA Skills Challenge field. It’s been a resurgent season for Erica Wheeler, who has been key to the Storm’s season. As Skylar Diggins’ backcourt co-pilot, she’s dishing assists and knocking down threes. While not the biggest name in the contest, she’s a sneaky contender.
The Pick
In a contest for dribbling, passing, and shooting, there is a clear top tier here: Gray, Diggins, and Williams. It’s hard to separate any of the three in terms of skill versatility and Williams has the longest odds of all three.
I like the value on the board for all four players except for Cloud since her inclusion is a bit of a head-scratcher to me. But if the field feels flat, I’ll take the Lynx’s lead guard and not think twice.
Top pick: Courtney Williams To Win (+370)
