CHICAGO ― Team Spoon had one goal during the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game: win.
The team, which was drafted by honorary WNBA All-Star general manager Teresa Weatherspoon and coached by Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, defeated Team Coop 129-122 in front of a record-breaking audience of 19,783 at the United Center on Saturday, July 25.
Jonquel Jones led Team Spoon with 22 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists in the win, walking away with MVP honors. Jones became the first player in WNBA history to win league MVP, WNBA Commissioner’s Cup MVP, Finals MVP and All-Star MVP. She missed a family member’s memorial on Saturday.
“When I started the game, once I warmed up, I started to feel good,” Jones said. “I talked to my family, and I made sure that it was OK, but my teammates knew, people that were closest to me knew. And so I just wanted to come out here and represent my family well and shout out to my auntie Marilyn. She’s resting in peace now with all the love and this night was definitely dedicated to her.”
Jones was one of eight players on Team Spoon to score in double figures in a game that was hot offensively from the opening tip. To start, Team Spoon’s Caitlin Clark picked the pocket of Paige Bueckers and took it the other way for a quick score in transition. Clark then followed that sequence with a deep shot from downtown, which had the crowd chattering early.
By the midway point of the first, the team had an eight-point lead and never looked back. The lead ballooned to 17 points, and Team Spoon never let Team Coop, managed by WNBA legend Cynthia Cooper, lead by more than one point. In fact, Team Spoon appeared to be so serious about winning that A’ja Wilson had Reeve challenge an out-of-bounds play for possession of the ball that she later admitted she knew would be overturned. Still, Wilson had to try.
“I knew it was clearly off my hand, but honestly, I just needed a break,” Wilson joked. “I was testing it to make sure the refs were on point. So, we’ll try again the second half of the season.”
Wilson, who finished Saturday’s game with 12 points, says that the All-Star games are always fun. The reigning regular season MVP says it allows the players to compete against one another in a different light. However, postgame Wilson immediately rushed toward the Team Coop bench where her teammate Jackie Young and her coach, Becky Hammon, were standing. She approached them with the “L” hand sign on her forehead and a huge smile on her face.
“I’m glad we got the dub. I’m glad I beat Becky (Hammon) and (Jackie Young). You know, that’s what I told them we were gone do. So, we took care of business,” Wilson said postgame.
Every player on Team Spoon is now $15,000 richer after its huge win in Chicago, a dramatic increase from the $2,575 each player received for participating in last year’s WNBA All-Star Game. Players on Team Coop also get $15,000. Jones earns $20,000 for MVP, up from $5,150 in 2025.
“I think when there’s money on the line, you’re always going to see a different type of play, but we wanted to hold ourselves accountable today for playing well and playing a way that is entertaining,” Nneka Ogwumike said. “I’m happy with the game today.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What happens when WNBA All-Stars actually try to win? Team Spoon showed us
