The 2024 WNBA All-Star Game wasn’t just a game for Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale.

When Team WNBA faced off against the US Olympic team on Saturday night at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Ogunbowale had something extra on her mind.

Just months ago, it was revealed that Ogunbowale pulled her name out of the pool for the Olympic roster after she felt as if she wouldn’t be selected due to team fit and politics.

“Me being me, I just felt the vibes. When it comes to (the US Olympic Team), it really doesn’t have much to do with your game,” she said. “It’s really about who they feel fits with the team … So I actually took my name out of the pool months ago. Ogunbowale said on Shannon Sharpe, Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, and Gilbert Arenas’ podcast “Nightcap” a few weeks ago.

“Whether that’s USA Basketball, whether that’s All-Star teams, whether that’s first team, and stuff like that, there’s politics,” Ogunbowale said. “Even with the men’s [basketball teams]. There’s politics in everything, so I’m gonna just leave it at that.”

Lining up with something extra on the line, Arike Ogunbowale scored an absurd 21 points in the third quarter and added 13 in the fourth to secure a WNBA record of 34 All-Star Game points and another All-Star MVP

Ogunbowale is no stranger to putting on a show in an All-Star Game against the national team. Back in 2021, Arike Ogunbowale dropped 26 points en route to her first All-Star MVP.

After two sensational All-Star Game performances, Ogunbowale is now one of just four players in WNBA history to win multiple All-Star Game MVP awards.

For the game itself, it was the second consecutive All-Star Game in which the US national team has lost against the WNBA All-Stars.

Team USA was led by Breanna Stewart who had 31 points and 10 rebounds as well as two-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson who had 22 and 6.

Many people tuned in to see Catlin Clark and Angel Reese play on the same team and they did not disappoint.

Clark set a rookie all-star game record with 10 assists and Angel Reese tallied a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Overall, you can chalk this one up as a win for women’s basketball as the growth of the game was on full display.

The 2024 edition of the game very much could have been the beginning of must-see TV WNBA All-Star Games.