1 p.m.: This is the most goated airport I’ve ever been in. There’s a hoop in the middle of the arrivals terminal!
2 p.m.: At the hotel. Flop onto the bed, consider walking to the Kurt Vonnegut Museum which is 10 minutes away. Don’t, instead lose sentience for 2 hours, watch all of Natasha Cloud’s TikToks.
4:30 p.m.: Bus to Cafe Kallmeyer, the cutie restaurant Nike and Kallmeyer have dreamed up for the weekend. There’s a candy bar, a photo studio, and a station to customize Nike gear. Everybody is dressed to the nines.
5:30 p.m.: Impossible to articulate how important Nike athlete Lisa Leslie, three-time MVP, two-time World Champion, and eight-time All-Star, is to the WNBA. In a moving speech she introduces Juju Watkins, USC baller and rising champ. There is the sense that history is currently being made. It’s a true celebration of women in sports and how, even if you aren’t the best three-point shooter, the athlete mindset serves all walks of life. What a great time to be a fan of the WNBA, and if you’re not… you should be.
7:00 p.m.: At the game. Outside the energy is electric. The graphic tees are off the charts. To warm-ups players wore tees that said “Pay Us What You Owe Us” and fan shirts echo the powerful sentiment.
7:48 p.m.: Someone decides to throw their whole purse away because they can’t take it through security. That’s how excited people are. Purse throwing away excited.
8:00 p.m.: One of the joys of All-Star weekend is that you watch these incredible, top-of-their-game, absolute genius athletes kind of have fun with it. Lots of laughs on the court tonight.
9:36 p.m.: Glorilla!!!!!! Coach Sandy dripped out in Kallmeyer!!! Paige MF Bueckers!!! A Pegasus Mascot!!!
10 p.m.: I fantasize about making a cameo on Minnesota Lynx players Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman (aka the StudBudz) All-Star twitch stream.
10:30 p.m.: Ellie the Elephant spotted. I’m emotional. My girl.
12 a.m.: I get a notification that I need to check in for my flight. Indianapolis, you’re an all star.