Kayla McBride proved worthy of her All-Star selection one day after she was named as a replacement for this weekend’s showcase in Indiana.
On Tuesday, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert revealed that McBride would replace injured Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard and play with her Minnesota teammate and All-Star captain Napheesa Collier.
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Following her selection, the five-time All-Star shined in the Lynx’s 79-66 win over the Phoenix Mercury. In a stellar outing, McBride stacked 18 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals — all marks that exceed her season-long averages thus far.
McBride led the Lynx, while three other teammates scored double-digit points to pad the victory. Courtney Williams, Alanna Smith and Collier scored 12, 11 and 10 points, respectively. Seven different players tallied 5+ boards, and three players managed 5+ assists for a collective team effort.
The 33-year-old is now making her second straight All-Star appearance after helping the Lynx to the WNBA Finals in 2024 before falling to the New York Liberty. She also helped Team WNBA defeat the US Women’s National Team in the 2024 WNBA All-Star game.
McBride is averaging 14.1 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists this year, as the Lynx lead the WNBA with a 20-4 record. Minnesota ranks second in the league averaging 84.9 points per game while leading the league in assists (23.6) and blocks (5.2) per game.
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The 12-year veteran sits 27th in WNBA history with 2,104 points, drafted by the San Antonio Stars with the third overall pick in 2014. She remained with the franchise until it was renamed as the Aces and relocated to Las Vegas.
McBride went on to join the Lynx as a free agent in 2021 and has remained in Minnesota since, having signed a two-year, $413,000 contract with the team through the 2025 season.
