WNBA All-Star captains trade coaches, reunite Lynx’s Napheesa Collier and Cheryl Reeve

The WNBA All-Star captains orchestrated a trade Tuesday: They swapped coaches.

The Lynx’s Cheryl Reeve will coach the team that includes two of her players, including All-Star captain Napheesa Collier, on July 19 in Indianapolis. The New York Liberty’s Sandy Brondello will coach the team captained by Indiana’s Caitlin Clark.

There’s history here. When Clark didn’t make the Olympic team coached by Reeve last year, some people blamed Reeve, although the Lynx coach had nothing to do with the selection of players.

Reeve had hinted at a trade of All-Star coaches. Because the Lynx has the WNBA’s best record, she was assigned to coach the All-Star team captained by the highest vote-getter. That was Clark. “Well,” Reeve joked then, “there’s transacting that can happen.”

That transaction was joined by others Tuesday, when Clark and Collier drafted their teams.

Clark had the first pick because of her vote total and chose Indiana teammate Aliyah Boston No. 1, while Collier took her Unrivaled business partner Breanna Stewart first.

Clark’s other choices for starters were New York’s Sabrina Ionescu, Las Vegas’ A’ja Wilson and Phoenix’s Satou Sabally, and she picked Fever teammate Kelsey Mitchell as a reserve.

“I feel good. My team is very well-rounded. Love the team we have to start — the first five, I think we’re off to a good start,” Clark said.

Collier drafted Atlanta’s Allisha Gray, Seattle’s Nneka Ogwumike and Dallas rookie Paige Bueckers, from Hopkins High School, to complete her starting five.

“We’re dynamic, got people that can score at all levels, a point guard,” Collier said.

After Collier took Lynx teammate Courtney Williams first in the reserve portion of the draft, Clark selected Mitchell. Two Seattle players went next, Skylar Diggins to Collier and Gabby Williams to Clark, who passed up the chance to draft fellow second-year player and longtime rival Angel Reese.

Collier took Reese with the third pick in the reserve draft.

She rounded out her squad with Phoenix’s Alyssa Thomas, Los Angeles’ Kelsey Plum and Atlanta’s Rhyne Howard. Clark also drafted Washington rookies Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen, Las Vegas’ Jackie Young and Golden State’s Kayla Thornton.