LOS ANGELES – WNBA President Laurel J. Richie today announced Sparks center Jantel Lavender has been named to her first WNBA All-Star team as an injury replacement player in Boost Mobile WNBA All-Star 2015 on Saturday, July 25 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
Lavender is averaging career-highs in scoring (14.9 ppg) and rebounding (9.1 rpg) and leading the Sparks in double-doubles (9) while starting all 16 games this season. Joining Lavender as injury replacement players making their WNBA All-Star debuts are Riquna Williams of the Tulsa Shock and Kayla McBride of the San Antonio Stars.
Lavender, McBride and Williams will be filling the spots on the Western Conference roster vacated by Minnesota Lynx guards Seimone Augustus and Lindsay Whalen and Tulsa Shock guard Skylar Diggins. Augustus, who has missed the last three games with a knee injury, and Diggins, who suffered a season-ending knee injury on June 28, had been selected as starters by fans during WNBA All-Star Balloting 2015 presented by Boost Mobile. Whalen, who was poked in the eye during a game at Tulsa on July 19, was picked as a reserve by the Western Conference head coaches.
Western Conference All-Star head coach Sandy Brondello of the Phoenix Mercury will determine the replacements for Augustus and Diggins in the starting lineup.
Below are the rosters for Boost Mobile WNBA All-Star 2015:
WESTERN CONFERENCE ALL-STARS
Head Coach: Sandy Brondello (Phoenix Mercury)
Player Team Position Ht. DOB From Yrs. Exp.
Seimone Augustus*@ Minnesota Lynx Backcourt 6-0 4/30/84 LSU 9
Sue Bird Seattle Storm Backcourt 5-9 10/16/80 Connecticut 13
DeWanna Bonner^ Phoenix Mercury Backcourt 6-4 8/21/87 Auburn 6
Skylar Diggins*@ Tulsa Shock Backcourt 5-9 8/2/90 Notre Dame 2
Candice Dupree* Phoenix Mercury Frontcourt 6-2 8/16/84 Temple 9
Brittney Griner* Phoenix Mercury Frontcourt 6-8 10/18/90 Baylor 2
Jantel Lavender** Los Angeles Sparks Frontcourt 6-4 11/12/88 Ohio State 4
Kayla McBride** San Antonio Stars Backcourt 5-11 6/25/92 Notre Dame 1
Maya Moore* Minnesota Lynx Frontcourt 6-0 6/11/89 Connecticut 4
Nneka Ogwumike Los Angeles Sparks Frontcourt 6-2 7/2/90 Stanford 3
Plenette Pierson^ Tulsa Shock Frontcourt 6-2 8/31/81 Texas Tech 12
Danielle Robinson San Antonio Stars Backcourt 5-9 5/10/89 Oklahoma 4
Lindsay Whalen@ Minnesota Lynx Backcourt 5-9 5/9/82 Minnesota 11
Riquna Williams** Tulsa Shock Backcourt 5-7 5/28/90 Miami (Fla.) 3
BOOST MOBILE WNBA ALL-STAR 2015 ROSTERS (alphabetical)
EASTERN CONFERENCE ALL-STARS
Head Coach: Pokey Chatman (Chicago Sky)
Player Team Position Ht. DOB From Yrs. Exp.
Alex Bentley^ Connecticut Sun Backcourt 5-7 10/27/90 Penn State 2
Kelsey Bone^ Connecticut Sun Frontcourt 6-4 12/31/91 Texas A&M 2
Tamika Catchings* Indiana Fever Frontcourt 6-1 7/21/79 Tennessee 13
Tina Charles* New York Liberty Frontcourt 6-4 12/5/88 Connecticut 5
Marissa Coleman^ Indiana Fever Backcourt 6-1 1/4/87 Maryland 6
Elena Delle Donne* Chicago Sky Backcourt 6-5 9/5/89 Delaware 2
Stefanie Dolson^ Washington Mystics Frontcourt 6-5 1/8/92 Connecticut 1
Angel McCoughtry* Atlanta Dream Frontcourt 6-1 9/10/86 Louisville 6
Emma Meesseman^ Washington Mystics Frontcourt 6-4 5/13/93 Belgium 2
Cappie Pondexter Chicago Sky Backcourt 5-9 1/7/83 Rutgers 9
Shoni Schimmel* Atlanta Dream Backcourt 5-9 5/4/92 Louisville 1
* denotes starter, as voted by the fans
@ denotes injured/unable to play
^ denotes first-time All-Star selection
** denotes replacement player added to roster by WNBA President Laurel J. Richie
The Los Angeles Sparks will next host the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday, August 4 at 7:00 pm at STAPLES Center. For Sparks individual and group tickets, in all lower-bowl sections of STAPLES Center, call 844-GO-SPARKS or visit LASparks.com.