These Aces don’t need votes to be All-Stars this season

The Aces know before the votes are tallied that they will have at least four All-Stars this year.

Saturday marks the deadline for fans, players and the media to vote for their preferred players in the WNBA All-Star Game on July 20 in Phoenix.

But because the Aces’ A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young are on the U.S. women’s basketball team for the upcoming Paris Olympics, they are guaranteed spots in the All-Star Game.

Instead of Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference, the league is returning to a Team USA vs. Team WNBA format for the second time in its history.

The 2021 WNBA All-Star Game before the Tokyo Olympics concluded in a 93-85 win for Team WNBA, led by Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale’s 26 points. Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner recorded 17 for Team USA, which also featured Wilson and Gray.

Here’s everything you need to know about the selections for the WNBA’s 20th All-Star Game:

How is the team determined?

Twenty-four players — two teams of 12 — will play in the All-Star Game.

The 12 Olympians have guaranteed spots, while up to 10 spots on Team WNBA will be decided by voting.

Fans have had the opportunity to submit a new ballot every day since June 13, voting for up to six frontcourt players and four backcourt players. Those votes make up 50 percent of the final total, with 25 percent decided by WNBA players and 25 percent by a national panel of sports writers and broadcasters.

Once all of the votes are combined, anyone in the top 10 who is not an Olympian will be an All-Star for Team WNBA.

The next 36 players who received votes will be presented to the league’s 12 coaches, who will determine the remaining members of Team WNBA.

The team will be announced Tuesday.

No matter the voting, every Olympian will earn the league’s merit bonus of $2,575 for being an All-Star.

Who will be on Team USA?

Besides Wilson, Gray, Plum and Young, the 12 members of Team USA will include:

— Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx

— Kahleah Copper, Phoenix Mercury

— Brittney Griner, Mercury

— Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty

— Jewell Loyd, Seattle Storm

— Breanna Stewart, Liberty

— Diana Taurasi, Mercury

— Alyssa Thomas, Connecticut Sun

Who is likely to be on Team WNBA?

The league released early returns of fan voting last week, which could be an early indicator for the top 10.

Wilson was the leader with 217,773 votes, followed by Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark (216,427).

Other players in the top 10 who are not on Team USA are Fever center Aliyah Boston (third, 171,864); Ogunbowale (fifth, 130,838); Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese (seventh, 118,490); and Los Angeles Sparks forward Dearica Hamby (10th, 97,094).

Aces rookie Kate Martin was in 12th (91,565).

Contact Callie Lawson-Freeman at clawsonfreeman@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X.