WNBA’s new All-Star Game format replaces East-West matchup with player draft

The WNBA has adopted a new All-Star Game format that does away with the East-West conference matchup in favor of a player draft, the league announced Tuesday. The changes will go in effect for this year’s event on July 28 in Minneapolis.

Under the new format, a pair of captains will select the respective rosters for the two teams from a group of 22 All-Stars. The players named to the game will be determined by a vote involving fans, players, coaches and a panel of international media.

The WNBA will announce the 22 players named to the All-Star Game on July 17, then the draft will be held in the days after that. The 11-man rosters for the game itself will be announced July 19 during ESPN2’s broadcast of a game between the Mystics and Wings.

Voting for the 2018 WNBA All-Star Game opens at 1 p.m. CT on June 19 and closes at 10:59 p.m. on July 12. The game will be broadcast on ABC at 2:30 p.m. on July 28.