Rookies Paige Bueckers, Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron reflect on being named All-Stars as rookies

“When I first found out I was an All-Star, I was more excited when I heard Sonia was an All-Star,” Iriafen said with a smile during media availability ahead of the Skills Challenge. “I think that’s just the same thing with her, we’re just really selfless. I think it’s super special that we get to do this journey together. Our whole season, everything has been together, so it’s nice to have this together as well.”

Beginning with the night they were drafted by Washington, the two rookies have been by each other’s side. From being selected with back-to-back picks (Citron was selected at No. 3 overall, followed by Iriafen at No. 4), to being ranked one after the other on the rookie scoring leaderboard, where Citron ranks second in points per game (14.1), followed by Iriafen in third (11.9).

When asked about their bond, Iriafen described herself as Citron’s “annoying big sister because I’m only a few months older than her.”

“I’m always messing with her,” Iriafen continued. “I think we just both want the best for each other, and I think that’s why we’re able to play together so well.”

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Ahead of the Skills Challenge Friday, Iriafen and Citron — who are also joined by fellow teammate Brittney Sykes, who is replacing an injured Fever star Caitlin Clark in the All-Star game — are approaching this new experience like they do pick-and-rolls on the court: together.

“It’s been a great experience,” said Citron, the only rookie who competed in Friday night’s 3-Point Contest won by the New York Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu. “It makes it even better that I get to do it with Kiki and Slim (Brittney Sykes)… It’s all of our firsts, [and] it’s just really cool to experience it together.”

Just last week, Citron revealed on Lisa Leslie‘s podcast that she actually found out she was named an All-Star from Seattle Storm forward Gabby Williams, who sent her a DM of a screenshot of a voicemail from WNBA Commissioner Cathy Englebert, who had called her, thinking it was Citron.

“I was definitely very, very surprised. I was not expecting it at all, so I was a little bit shocked. I didn’t know if it was true or not,” Citron continued with a laugh when asked about her reaction. “But then once I got down to the bottom of it and found out that it was [true], it was like a flood of emotions. [I’m] just really grateful.”

Iriafen and Citron aren’t the only rookies who will be honored this weekend, as Dallas Wings guard and the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, Paige Bueckers — who is currently leading all rookies in scoring with 18.4 points per game — will play for Team Collier. This marks the first time in over a decade (2011) that three rookies were represented in an All-Star game.

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The magnitude of being named an All-Star is something Bueckers, who grew up in Minnesota watching the Lynx’s four titles in the 2010s and later won a championship at UConn her senior season, couldn’t have ever imagined.

“I actually didn’t even know to dream that big,” Bueckers said. “I just kind of started small with, like, wanting to win state, wanting to play for Team USA, wanted to go to UConn. And then, I mean, I couldn’t even imagine my younger self, thinking, being where I am right now, which is why I’m just trying to enjoy it as much as I can and be present in it.

“You just don’t really know what you’re doing until you look [and] reflect on it. Just because you’re so busy living in the moment, you don’t really enjoy everything that’s happening. So as much as I can, I’m trying to make that little girl proud and enjoy where I am.”

As for Iriafen, she was asked what her younger self would think about being here in Indianapolis as an All-Star herself:

“That’s a great question. I think she wouldn’t be surprised. I think sometimes when you’re younger, you have more confidence and belief in yourself than when you’re kind of in the nitty gritty, but I think she’d just be super proud [of] where I’ve come, the journey I’ve gone through.”

Then, after a pause to think some more, she continued.

“That’s such a great question. I’m reflecting on it right now, but I think if anything, she’d just be super proud of where she is today.”

All three rookies will make their All-Star game debut on Saturday night at 8:30 PM ET.

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