Elena Delle Donne leads WNBA All-Star balloting

Jul 14, 2015, 10:18 PM

NEW YORK (AP) — Elena Delle Donne once again led the WNBA All-Star voting.

She hopes she’ll be able to play in the game this season.

The league’s leading scorer missed her first two All-Star games because of a concussion her rookie year and a recurrence of Lyme disease last season.

“I definitely look forward to playing next weekend,” Delle Donne said in a phone interview Tuesday. “It feels amazing and is an incredible honor that the fans voted for me. Unfortunately, I’ve had to miss the last two All-Star Games.”

Chicago’s star, who led the voting with just over 18,000 votes, will be joined on the Eastern Conference team by Indiana’s Tamika Catchings, who will be playing in a record 10th All-Star Game. New York’s Tina Charles is the third member of the front court in the East.

“To become a starter that means people voted and recognize your game and what you do for your team,” Charles said. “It’s who you are as a person and how you are to the community. The fact that I’m named an All-Star starter again I think it’s pretty great.”

Atlanta’s Angel McCoughtry and Shoni Schimmel will start in the backcourt. Schimmel became just the third reserve to start an All-Star Game last season and she went on to win MVP honors. She’s only started twice this season and is averaging just 14 minutes a game.

“To make this All-Star team is an exciting moment for me again,” Schimmel said. “It just shows how much my fans really support me.”

Tulsa guard Skylar Diggins leads the West All-Stars. Diggins, who tore her ACL a few weeks ago and will miss the game, is joined by Minnesota’s Seimone Augustus in the backcourt. Diggins’ replacement will be chosen by WNBA president Laurel J. Richie.

Brittney Griner and Candice Dupree of Phoenix and Maya Moore of Minnesota will start in the front court.

The reserves will be announced next Tuesday and the game will be played in Connecticut at the Mohegan Sun on July 25.

The All-Star coaches are Sandy Brondello of Phoenix and Pokey Chatman of Chicago. They will decide which reserves would replace any starter who is unable to play. Brondello already will have to find a replacement for Diggins.

Griner missed the first seven games of the season while serving a domestic violence suspension.

“It is a huge honor to be voted on by the fans. I thank them for their support and it really means a lot right now,” Griner said. “It will be great to be there with Candice and have Sandy coaching us, but we really need to get DB (DeWanna Bonner) there, too. She deserves to be there at All-Star with us.”

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