Ezi Magbegor snubbed in 2024 WNBA All-Star voting

By Christan Braswell, edited by Charles Hamaker

Seattle, WA - The list of 2024 WNBA All-Stars facing off against Team USA in this season’s midsummer classic in Phoenix were announced Tuesday night to the excitement of many.

Seattle Storm forward/center Ezi Magbegor during the 2024 WNBA season through pictures. (Photos by Liz Wolter)

Seattle Storm stars Jewell Loyd and Nneka Ogwumike were recognized for their play, yet forward Ezi Magbegor was the most noticeable snub. 

12 WNBA head coaches had the task of filling remaining spots after guards Caitlin Clark and Arike Ogunbowale and post players Aliyah Boston and Dearica Hamby were selected. Among the 36 other vote-getters who weren’t named to the team was Magbegor, an All-Star just last season.

There’s not a shred of doubt about the deserving nature or talent level of those headed to the desert to represent the league’s best. What the outcome of this snub says is that Magbegor’s omission will go down as one of the most puzzling decisions in the history of the WNBA All-Star Game. 

Despite being one of the worst teams in the WNBA last season, Magbegor notched her first All-Star selection in 2023. After fielding the talents of future first-ballot Hall of Famers in Skylar Diggins-Smith and Ogwumike in the offseason, Magbegor’s scoring output was all but expected to take a hit, yet her productivity has not. She averages 13.4 points on 50.5 percent shooting, connecting on 90.9 percent of her free throws (5th in the WNBA), boasting career-highs in rebounds at 8.8 (7th in WNBA), 2.2 blocks (3rd in WNBA), and 10th in steals (1.6 spg).

Back in training camp, Magbegor shared that her biggest goal this season would be amping up her aggression on the court. Among those in Seattle from the coaching staff to fans alike, it’s a step that would only aid in her progression as one of the best post players in the league. With a bevy of games as examples of commitment to her craft, she held up her end of the bargain and has done so on both sides of the floor. 

Always a thorn in the side of opposing teams, Magbegor carried a streak of two-plus blocks in a single outing to 13 games, spanning from May 17 to June 18, good for the seventh-longest stretch in WNBA history. She pilots a top-three defense in the league (93.8 defensive rating) and has long been a leading contender for Defensive Player of the Year this season.

With Magbegor’s skillset in mind, it’s a short list of posts that can defend guards out on an island on the perimeter as efficiently as they protect the rim. Owning third place in defensive win shares and fourth in overall win shares, Magbegor is the only top 10 player who won’t be in Phoenix.

According to Across the Timeline, Magbegor is the only player in WNBA history to average at least 10 points, eight rebounds, two blocks, and a steal before the All-Star break and not be named to the team.

On offense, Magbegor is a blur with the ball in her hands at 6-4 and can get as shifty as some of the best guards in the WNBA. She puts it on the floor and attacks the rim at a career-high rate while showing no signs of slowing down. Her comfortability this season accepting handoffs has grown exponentially. When she eyes a closeout, she takes advantage of the usual size or speed advantage. These are all traits that play into Magbegor’s goal of being a more aggressive, dominant force in this league.

An aggressive Ezi is a dominant Ezi. While she will be representing her home country with the Australian Opals in Paris this summer in the Olympic games, there isn’t any doubt that this will be bulletin board material for Magbegor and the Storm throughout the rest of the season. 

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