How to send former Gamecocks to the WNBA All-Star Game, and where they stand now
The WNBA has released its first update on fan voting for the league's annual All-Star Game, and Dawn Staley's Gamecocks look like they will have a representative — or two — for the very first time.
While Staley herself was a WNBA All-Star six times, none of the players she's coached who have finished their collegiate careers at USC have made the showcase of the league's best and brightest.
On Thursday, the WNBA named the top 40 vote-getters from fans so far, and checking in at No. 7 was recent Carolina grad A'ja Wilson, front-runner for Rookie of the Year. Meanwhile, Allisha Gray, another former Gamecock and also defending Rookie of the Year, came in at No. 30, just outside the top 22 who will be named All-Stars and play July 25 in Minneapolis.
Fan voting will continue until July 12 and count for 40 percent of the overall vote, with players, coaches and media members each getting 20 percent. From those four groups of voters, 22 players will be selected and announced on July 17. Fans can vote for as many as 10 players every 24 hours at WNBA.com or on the WNBA app.
Fans can also vote on Twitter, using the full first and last name of the player, or her Twitter handle, and the hashtag #WNBAVote. One account can vote for 10 players per day, with one player per tweet. Retweets count as votes.
The names and Twitter accounts of all five former South Carolina players in the WNBA, as well as their season stats, are included below.
GAMECOCKS IN THE WNBA
Alaina Coates (@Aye_itslaylay) — 15 games for the Chicago Sky, 8.7 minutes per game, 2.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, 0.2 blocks per game
Kaela Davis (@KaelaD3) — 15 games for the Dallas Wings, 4 starts, 17.1 minutes per game, 5.0 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists per game
Allisha Gray (@Graytness_15) — 16 games for the Dallas Wings, 16 starts, 26.7 minutes per game, 9.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.1 steals per game
Tiffany Mitchell (@TiffMitch25) — 18 games for the Indiana Fever, 18 starts, 28.5 minutes per game, 9.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 0.7 steals per game
A'ja Wilson (@_ajawilson22) — 18 games for the Las Vegas Aces, 18 starts, 31.0 minutes per game, 20.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.3 blocks, 0.7 steals per game
WNBA ALL-STAR FAN VOTING
*As of July 5
1) Maya Moore (MIN) 25,496
2) Elena Delle Donne (WAS) 24,152
3) Candace Parker (LA) 21,136
4) Diana Taurasi (PHX) 20,460
5) Sue Bird (SEA) 20,362
6) Breanna Stewart (SEA) 19,354
7) A’ja Wilson (LV) 18,768
8) Sylvia Fowles (MIN) 17,843
9) Skylar Diggins-Smith (DAL) 16,177
10) Nneka Ogwumike (LA) 16,103
11) Brittney Griner (PHX) 15,386
12) Seimone Augustus (MIN) 12,145
13) Lindsay Whalen (MIN) 9,889
14) Jewell Loyd (SEA) 9,818
15) Chiney Ogwumike (CON) 9,452
16) Chelsea Gray (LA) 9,403
17) Tina Charles (NY) 9,268
18) Rebekkah Brunson (MIN) 8,940
19) Liz Cambage (DAL) 8,680
20) Alana Beard (LA) 6,458
21) Natasha Howard (SEA) 6,315
22) DeWanna Bonner (PHX) 6,005
23) Angel McCoughtry (ATL) 5,672
24) Kayla McBride (LV) 5,524
25) Victoria Vivians (IND) 5,420
26) Kristi Toliver (WAS) 5,061
27) Kia Nurse (NY) 4,998
28) Odyssey Sims (LA) 4,772
29) Gabby Williams (CHI) 4,467
30) Allisha Gray (DAL) 4,235