Sports

Brunson to start for West in all-star game

The Lynx will have two starters in all-star game on Saturday in San Antonio. Forwards Maya Moore, voted by fans, and Rebekkah Brunson, replacing an injured player, will both start for the West.

By Roman Augustoviz

July 23, 2011 at 2:07PM

Lynx forward Rebekkah Brunson (Brian Wicker — Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Late Friday afternoon, the WNBA all-stars in San Antonio took calls for half an hour from media around the country.

Most were asked the standard questions: How does it feel to be an all-star? How is your season going?

Lynx forward Rebekkah Brunson, though, has some news to share. West coach Brian Agler, head coach of the Seattle Storm, picked her to be one of the starters, She replaces LA's Candace Parker, who finished first at center in fan voting. Parker has a knee injury and can't play.

"That's exciting news," Brunson said. "I was just excited to be here. And now to be a starter."

Brunson is not a center, but she rebounds like one. The 6-2 Brunson is averaging a league-high 10.8 rebounds per game and has had eight double-doubles for the 10-4 Lynx who go into the all-star break in first place in the Western Conference.

Brunson is also third in the league with a 58.5 field goal percentage.

This is her second all-star game. While playing for Sacramento, she was named one of the reserves to the 2007 West all-stars but could not play because of a stress fracture in her left fibula.

Last season she played for the WNBA all-stars against Team USA in Uncasville, Conn., but participating in that exhibition is technically not considered an all-star appearance. Team USA won 99-72 and Brunson, in 19-plus minutes, had six points, two rebounds and two blocks.

Brunson started this WNBA season with six double-doubles, but has had only two in the Lynx's past eight game. "[Double-doubles] are not my goal, they are not something I worry about. What I want to do is play aggressive and I am continuing to do that. We're spreading the rebounds around to Monie [Seimone Augustus], Taj [McWilliams-Franklin] and Maya [Moore]."

Moore, a rookie forward, is also starting for the West all-stars, guards Seimone Augustus and Lindsay Whalen are reserves.

"You get noticed [for honors] when you win," Brunson said.

The Lynx have won five of their past six games and beat Phoenix 106-98 in their last game.

"It's definitely fun, those games against the Mercury," Brunson said. "They are exciting to watch. We played two good games againt them and are 1-1.

Brunson said she appreciates the chance she has this weekend to play with the world's best players and to get to know some of them better.

So when the regular season resumes, can the Lynx make the playoffs and make a deep run? "Every game is unpredictable," Brunson said. "But we have the personnel and we are fully capable."

The Lynx's four all-stars are the most any team has. Next is the Chicago Sky, with rhree East reserves.

Stats line: 29.9 min., 13.4 pts., 10.8 rebs., 58.5 FG pct., 1.2 apg, 0.5 bpg

Averaging career highs in points, rebounds and assists; shooting best from field ever, too.

Brunson's eight double-doubles this season, five at Target Center, three away:

June 2 at Los Angeles/ 10 pts., 12 rebs.

June 5 vs. Los Angeles/ 10 pts., 15 rebs.

June 7 vs. Tulsa / 17 pts., 15 rebs.

June 9 at Seattle/ 22 pts., 14 rebs.

June 17 Atlanta/ 18 pts., 14 rebs.

June 19 at Atlanta/ 10 pts., 10 rebs.

July 9: Connecticut/ 12 pts. 10 rebs.

July 13: Phoenix/ 16 pts., 16 rebs.

Early in the season, Brunson was rated No. 1 by wnba.com in it's look at the MVP race. She recently slipped to No. 8 but was back up to No. 4 in the most recent MVP ratings.