KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Former Lady Vols swept the WNBA All-Star Friday Night competitions in Las Vegas, with Diamond DeShields winning the WNBA Skills Challenge and Shekinna Stricklen emerging victorious in the Mountain Dew Three-Point Contest.
DeShields also saw action in her first WNBA All-Star game over the weekend, coming off the bench for Team Wilson to tally 13 points and five rebounds. Team Wilson won the contest, edging out Team Delle Donne, 129-126.
Stricklen held off Kayla McBride of the Las Vegas Aces in the finals of the Mountain Dew Three-Point Content, winning 23-22. She has started all 20 games for the first-place Connecticut Sun, averaging 8.7 ppg. and 23.0 mpg. while hitting nearly 40 percent of her three-point attempts.
Mercedes Russell has stepped into a larger role for the Western Conference’s third-ranked Seattle Storm, starting in 17 games and averaging 25.5 mpg., 6.4 rpg., and 7.3 ppg. She currently ranks 19th in the league in rebounds per game.
Glory Johnson narrowly missed a double-double in the Dallas’ loss against Phoenix on July 20, notching 15 points and nine rebounds. Fellow teammate Isabelle Harrison also recently flirted with a double-double, scoring 14 points and pulling down nine boards against the Sparks on July 18. She currently ranks 13th in the league in blocked shots, averaging 1.06 bpg.
Candace Parker is still sidelined after suffering an ankle injury in the first quarter of the Sparks’ 74-62 loss at Dallas on July 9. A timeframe for her return has not been announced.
Diamond DeShields
Chicago Sky | G | 2nd Season
DeShields has started in all 20 of the Chicago Sky’s games this season. She is averaging 14.9 ppg., 5.7 rpg. and shooting a steady 82.2 percent from the free throw line. She leads the team in scoring and is currently ranked 11th in the league in ppg. Her next game is Saturday when the Sky travel to Atlanta at 7 p.m. ET (League Pass, WSB Now, The U Too).
Isabelle Harrison
Dallas Wings | F/C | 4th Season
After sitting out all of last season due to medical reasons, Harrison has been averaging a little over 24 minutes a game while tallying 7.4 ppg. and 4.8 rpg. She currently ranks 13th in the league in blocked shots at 1.06 bpg. She’ll hit the court again Thursday, hosting New York for an 8 p.m. ET tip (NBA TV, Fox Sports Southwest Plus, NBA TV Canada).
Glory Johnson
Dallas Wings | F | 7th Season
Johnson has appeared in 14 games for Dallas, starting in eight. She’s currently averaging 8.1 ppg. and 6.4 rbg. She’ll hit the court again Thursday, hosting New York for an 8 p.m. ET tip (NBA TV, Fox Sports Southwest Plus, NBA TV Canada).
Candace Parker
Los Angeles Sparks | F/C | 12th Season
Initially sidelined with a hamstring injury at the start of the season, Parker saw action in seven games before suffering an ankle injury on July 9 against Dallas. A timeframe for her return has not been announced. The Sparks will be back in action Thursday at 10 p.m. ET as they host the Aces (ESPN2, NBA TV Canada).
Mercedes Russell
Seattle Storm | C | 2nd Season
Russell has seen action in all 21 games for the Storm, starting in 17 and averaging 7.3 ppg. and 6.4 rpg. She currently ranks 19th in the league in rebounding. Seattle will host the Mystics on Friday, facing off at 10 p.m. ET (NBA TV, JoeTV, Monumental, NBA TV Canada).
Shekinna Stricklen
Connecticut Sun | G/F | 8th Season
Stricklen has started in all 20 games this season for the Connecticut Sun, as the team is in first place in the league standings. She is sitting at 8.7 ppg. and has chipped in 1.8 rpg. while playing 23.0 mpg. so far this season. Her next game is tomorrow against Phoenix at 7 p.m. ET (CBS Sports Network).
UT Athletics
