Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier took part in the WNBA All-Star draft on Tuesday night, fulfilling their respective roles as team captains and filling out the rosters of Team Clark and Team Collier for the upcoming big game.
The draft went by largely without fireworks—both Clark and Colllier deferred to drafting their teammates first and foremost—but once the picks were made, ESPN host Malika Andrews opened the floor for potential trades.
Clark and Collier were unable to come to terms on any player trades, with Clark flatly refusing to let go of teammate Aliyah Boston in exchange for Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty, but the duo did agree to a coaching swap ... though they weren’t entirely sure how legal the move was.
“I don’t know if this is in the rules, I don’t really care, but I think we’ve already discussed, we are going to trade coaches,” Clark explained. “Phee is going to take her coach; Sandy Brondello, let’s get it. Sorry WNBA if that’s not in the rules. Sorry ESPN if that’s not in the rules, but we just made it a rule. Sandy Brondello, come on over let’s get to it.”
The coaches for the WNBA All-Star Game were determined based on the league standings, and before the draft, Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve was set to coach Team Clark while New York Liberty coach Sandy Brondello would coach Team Collier.
Instead, the swap will allow Reeve to coach her Lynx players—Collier and Courtney Williams—in the All-Star Game.
🚨 TRADE ALERT 🚨
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 8, 2025
Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier have decided to trade COACHES!
That means Cheryl Reeve will now coach Team Collier and Sandy Brondello will lead Team Clark 👀
2025 @ATT WNBA All-Star pic.twitter.com/LtcZs273SY
“I love Cheryl. She’s my coach here,” Collier explained, before delivering some playful trash talk. “That’s just going to be worse for Team Clark, because now we’ve got more chemistry on our side, more synergy. We know what we expect from each other. That was a bad move on your part Caitlin, we’re taking you down.”
The WNBA All-Star Game is set to tip off from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Saturday, July 19.
More WNBA on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier Made Up Their Own Rule During WNBA All-Star Draft.
