Salaün Is the First Valkyrie Named to the WNBA 3-Point Contest

The league added Janelle Salaün to Friday's six-player field in Chicago on Tuesday, giving Golden State a second All-Star weekend representative alongside starter Gabby Williams. Veronica Burton's replacement door widened the same day when Sparks coach Lynne Roberts offered no return date for the injured Kelsey Plum.

A second Valkyrie in Chicago

The WNBA announced the State Farm 3-Point Contest field on Tuesday, and Janelle Salaün is in it. She is the first Valkyries player to participate in the event.

Salaün joins Gabby Williams, who was drafted to Team Coop as an All-Star starter on July 15, as Golden State's second representative at All-Star weekend. Williams will play in Saturday's game. Salaün will shoot in Friday's contest.

The six-player field: Rhyne Howard (Atlanta), Marina Mabrey (Toronto), Azzi Fudd (Dallas), Bridget Carleton (Portland), Natisha Hiedeman (Seattle), and Salaün. Caitlin Clark, Sabrina Ionescu, and Kayla McBride were all invited but declined, per ESPN's Alexa Philippou. The new CBA pays the winner $20,000 and each participant $10,000.

The shot profile that earned the invite. Salaün ranks fifth in the WNBA with 67 made three-pointers, leading all reserve players and posting the second-most made threes by a reserve in a single season in league history. Her 39.4% from deep ranks third among players averaging at least five attempts, and her 2.5 makes per game rank eighth. She has four games with five or more threes, tied for the third-most in the WNBA.

The contest format, five racks of five balls spread across the arc, rewards exactly her skill: high-volume three-point shooting with accuracy. Salaün averages 13.0 points in 22.8 minutes off the bench, and about two-thirds of her field-goal attempts come from beyond the arc. Her signature nights this season include a 5-for-6 performance from deep in a career-high 26-point game at Toronto on July 8, and a 5-for-11 showing in a 20-point game at Seattle on May 9.

The 3-Point Contest and the Kia Shooting Stars event are Friday, July 24, at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) on ESPN, Disney+, and the ESPN App. Shooting Stars participants have not yet been announced.

Burton's All-Star door is as wide as it has been

Kelsey Plum was drafted to Team Coop as a reserve on July 15, but she has not played since June 21. Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said Tuesday that Plum has no return date.

I'm not trying to be evasive, we really don't know. It's one of those injuries that the muscle, soft tissue, injuries like that, you can't just jump back out there. You have to build up the tolerance and build up the load so that she can sustain the intensity of it. So we're in that build-up stage. But I have not been given a date as to when I can count on doing that.

Lynne Roberts, on Plum's lower leg injury

Plum was ruled out for the Sparks' final game before the break, Wednesday against Phoenix, and has missed nine of the team's last 10 games. If she cannot play in the All-Star Game, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert names the replacement.

That is where Veronica Burton comes in. Burton was the Valkyries' most notable All-Star snub, a point guard who runs the league's best defense and ranks 10th in win shares, per Her Hoops Stats. She posted an 11-point, 11-assist double-double in the home opener against Washington and had 17 points and six assists at Connecticut. One analyst called Burton "the guaranteed Plum replacement" on July 21.

There could be additional openings. Angel Reese left Atlanta's win over Chicago on Sunday with a knee injury and has no updated timetable, and Bueckers is questionable for Dallas's final pre-break game on Wednesday. If either sits Saturday, more replacements would be needed. The same analyst pegs Brittney Sykes of Toronto as the likely Bueckers replacement. Either way, multiple openings only help Burton's case.

No replacement has been officially named as of Tuesday.

How to watch All-Star weekend

Friday, July 24: State Farm 3-Point Contest and Kia Shooting Stars, Wintrust Arena, 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT), ESPN, Disney+, and the ESPN App. Salaün is in the 3-Point Contest. Shooting Stars participants TBA.

Saturday, July 25: All-Star Game, United Center, 8:30 p.m. ET (5:30 p.m. PT), ABC, Disney+, and the ESPN App. Williams starts for Team Coop, coached by Becky Hammon. Cheryl Reeve coaches Team Spoon. The game is part of the league's 30th-season celebration, with Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon serving as honorary general managers. WNBA Live runs Thursday through Saturday at McCormick Place.

The break, and what comes next

The Valkyries (19-8) enter the break third in the Western Conference, two games behind Minnesota (21-6) and one behind Las Vegas (18-7). Golden State dropped from second to third on Monday when the nine-game winning streak ended and both teams ahead of them won. Las Vegas has a higher winning percentage and two games in hand.

The streak is over, but the body of work holds up. The Valkyries went 6-1 against teams currently in the playoff picture over their last 10 games and own the league's best defense.

Really proud of us. We don't want this to seep into this All-Star break and leave a bad taste in our mouth. But I'm really proud of the way that we've shown up. We've competed at home, on the road, we've gotten close, we've stuck together. And I think we've shown just how good of a team we are and how we play true team basketball.

Veronica Burton, on the 19-8 first half

You don't win that many games without handling adversity well. Today was just sort of a tough one. I feel like we played four minutes of rough basketball at the end, which is really unfortunate. But I think we're gonna bounce back and we're gonna be ready.

Kaitlyn Chen, after the 90-82 loss to Washington

Head coach Natalie Nakase was candid about her own energy levels heading into the break.

I'm battling that. I wasn't at my best today because I don't think I did the proper rest and recovery. That's where I leaned on my mentors. That's why I called Ty Lue before the game today. Steve [Kerr] even advised me sometimes, when you sleep, to write down your thoughts if a thought comes up, because my mind keeps going. I don't know how to turn it off.

Natalie Nakase, on using the break to recharge

The Valkyries return July 29 at Phoenix, 7 p.m. PT on USA Network, CNBC, KPIX+ 44, and KMAX 31. Then comes a homestand: Toronto (Aug. 3), Dallas (Aug. 8), Los Angeles (Aug. 9), a trip to Chicago (Aug. 13), and back home for Dallas (Aug. 18), Minnesota (Aug. 20), and Chicago (Aug. 21).

Tracking

• Bueckers (Dallas): Not in concussion protocol, cleared after evaluation, listed questionable for Wednesday at Portland. Signs point to her playing Saturday.
• Reese (Atlanta): Knee injury Sunday, no update, Dream off through the break. All-Star status uncertain.
• Collier (Minnesota): Still out all season after offseason ankle surgery, no return date. The Lynx are 21-6 and first without her.
• Plum (Los Angeles): Ruled out Wednesday, no return date per Roberts, has missed nine of the last 10 games. All-Star replacement decision pending.