Before even drafting her very own WNBA All-Star team, Caitlin Clark already had clarity about the players she was going to choose. As she shared during a Q&A with season ticket holders, “I think there’s a high chance Kels and AB are on my team.” And she stayed true to her word – both her teammates are now on her side. So, did CC choose loyalty over talent? Who are we to question that? Because even Napheesa Collier did the same!
It all came together when Phee, who received the second-most fan votes, had the chance to draft her team alongside Clark. And since she had the first pick from the pool of eight other starters, which included names like Breanna Stewart, A’ja Wilson, and Paige Bueckers, Collier took full advantage.
And that’s how she ended up drafting two of the top players, Stewie and PB, to her All-Star team this season. No doubt, it was a great move, but what truly stood out was the tweet she made afterwards. “Can’t wait,” she posted on X while reposting a tweet that referred to her as “Mama Husky” and the former Huskies standout as “Baby Husky” after the draft.
Can’t wait https://t.co/q94qsGvptE
— napheesa collier (@PHEEsespieces) July 9, 2025
And that’s how we know she, too, followed an unspoken rule that Cam Spencer once summed up perfectly: “Huskies for life”. And that’s what it really comes down to, once a Husky, always a Husky. These players continue to prove it, year after year.
Paige Bueckers recently led UConn to a national title, and Collier had once been a dominant forward from 2015 to 2019, recording 49 career double-doubles and helping the team win the 2016 national championship. And Stewie? She’s a legendary Husky who led the program to four straight NCAA titles and still holds the record as UConn’s all-time leader in blocks.
So now you understand why Collier drafted her ideal teammates. Of course, there were other reasons too. After picking Stewie, Collier called her a “fellow co-founder” of the women’s 3-on-3 pro league Unrivaled, and the two were also teammates on Cheryl Reeve’s 2024 Olympic roster. But yes, the UConn bond holds a special place, not just because of loyalty, but because they actually played together during the 2016 championship run.
“My welcome to college moment—we were playing pickup, and I tried to shoot it,” Collier recalled in a candid Unrivaled interview. “You literally just took it out of the air and were like, ‘F— out of here.’” And, that’s how the relationship between two veteran Huskies translated into All-Star-level support.
But that wasn’t the end of it. After securing Stewie, Collier had her eyes on PB. Paige, often called the “Baby Husky,” was a hot commodity, but as CC admitted, she didn’t pick Bueckers because she didn’t want a three-guard starting lineup that lacked size; that gave Collier the perfect opportunity to scoop up Paige. And, just like that, the UConn alumnae were reunited on the All-Star stage.
The post Napheesa Collier Endorses UConn Narrative After Picking Paige Bueckers for Her WNBA All-Star Team appeared first on EssentiallySports.
