UNCASVILLE, CONN. (AP) - Brittney Griner will miss Saturday’s WNBA All-Star game while recovering from a sprained left knee she suffered earlier this month.
The rookie center sat out Phoenix’s last five games and will be replaced on the Western Conference roster by Seattle’s Tina Thompson, who announced earlier this season that she would retire after the year. This will be her ninth All-Star appearance _ the most ever.
“It’s cool. I’m going to go and represent our team,” said Thompson after she scored 23 points in Seattle’s 73-66 win over Los Angeles on Thursday afternoon.
“I think that it’s good that we have someone in the game so every team in the WNBA has someone represented.”
Seattle was the only team not to have a player on the All-Star squad. With Thompson’s addition, the Storm have had a player in every All-Star game since its inception in 1999.
The 38-year-old Thompson admitted she wouldn’t have minded having some time off to rest.
“Honestly, I would have appreciated the break,” she said laughing.
Griner may be joined on the sideline this weekend by Chicago’s Elena Delle Donne.
The No. 2 pick in the draft this past April suffered a concussion Wednesday and is questionable to play Saturday. Delle Donne was the first rookie to lead the All-Star voting.
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