Phoenix to host 2024 WNBA All-Star Weekend

Ahead of the 2023 WNBA All-Star Game today, league Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced that the 2024 WNBA All-Star weekend will be hosted by Phoenix.

“Thank you to Mat Ishbia and the Mercury leadership team for your ongoing support,” Engelbert said. “As All-Star continues to get bigger and better, as you’ve seen here in Vegas, we know you’ll put on an amazing event…Excited to see one of the league’s inaugural franchises step up and want to host this…We had a process…They’re very talented in Phoenix. They hosted our first ever Commissioner’s Cup Final a few years ago and did a great job.”

The three-time WNBA Champion Mercury has one of the most dedicated basketball fanbases in the ‘W’, so Footprint Center will definitely be jumping.

This will be Phoenix’s third time hosting the festivities. Last time was in 2014, when East beat West in a 125-124 OT thriller.

Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi also led the Mercury to best regular season record in league history (29-5) and the title in 2014.

“As I’ve said from day one, we are going to make Phoenix one of the leading basketball destinations in the world and the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game is going to be an unbelievable experience,” Phoenix Mercury and Suns owner Mat Ishbia said. “As the women’s game continues to grow and reach new heights, we are going to put on an All-Star weekend that will accelerate that growth and elevate the league. I want to thank the WNBA and the entire Phoenix community for coming together to help bring the WNBA All-Star Game to the Valley. I couldn’t be more excited to show the world what Phoenix basketball is all about.”

The Valley is also hosting the 2024 Men’s Final Four at State Farm Stadium in addition to the 2026 Women’s Final Four at Footprint Center.

Skip to the 39:00 mark for Engelbert’s announcement:

WNBA Commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, addresses the media ahead of the 2023 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game ⬇ https://t.co/dJMyRAoKhK

— WNBA (@WNBA) July 15, 2023

The 2024 schedule includes the Skills Challenge and Three-Point Shootout on Friday, July 19th and the All-Star Game on Saturday, July 20th.

This year’s weekend has already showcased a historic performance by the Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu in the three-point contest, which saw her reach the highest scoring total ever (WNBA and NBA included) with 37 points:

Sabrina Ionescu (@sabrina_i20) just set the all-time record for NBA or WNBA with a score of 37 PTS in the FINAL ROUND of the #Starry3PT Contest to be crowned the NEW 3-PT CHAMPION 🏆 | @starrylemonlime pic.twitter.com/YcGy3fDfBq

— WNBA (@WNBA) July 14, 2023

And of course, this year’s featured Brittney Griner’s return to All-Star weekend:

THE @ATT #WNBAAllStar Game missed @brittneygriner so much but she’s BACKKKK 💪

Welcoming BG to the floor for Team Stewart pic.twitter.com/kcnXA9tunw

— WNBA (@WNBA) July 16, 2023

The Mercury will host a WNBA All-Star 2024 press conference at Footprint Center on Monday, July 17 where speakers will include Taurasi, Mercury and Suns CEO Josh Bartelstein, and Downtown Phoenix Inc. CEO Devney Majerle.