Catchings tops fan voting for WNBA All-Stars

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The image of Tamika Catchings has been at the center of the WNBA's 10th anniversary celebration, and now it gets top billing for the league's midseason showcase.

The Indiana Fever forward, whose image anchors the league's national advertising campaign and official media guide, was the leading vote-getter Wednesday when the starters for next week's All-Star Game in New York (July12, 7:30 ET, ESPN) were announced.

"I'm excited and honored," said Catchings, averaging 16.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists and a league-leading 2.4 steals a game. "Being the leading vote-getter says a lot of fans respect your game and want to see you do well."

The league held its first All-Star Game in 1999, and the West has dominated, going 6-0. It's a stat Catchings hopes the East changes: "I always want to win, but even more so with this being our 10th anniversary. It would be sweet to kick off the 10th year with a win."

Joining Catchings in the East's starting lineup will be guard Becky Hammon of the New York Liberty and three members of the Connecticut Sun -- point guard Lindsay Whalen, forward Nykesha Sales and center Margo Dydek.

Nancy Lieberman, an ESPN analyst and Hall of Famer, says though it's the fans' choice who starts, there are some glaring omissions.

"Certainly Lindsay got snubbed a year ago," she said of Whalen not being a 2005 All-Star. "Although the Sun have one of the most remarkable teams, the one player who should have been named a starter is (the Sun's) Katie Douglas. She is having the best year of her career. In all deference to Margo and Lindsay ... (Detroit's) Cheryl Ford, on pace to break the rebounding record, is a glaring omission. (Washington's) Alana Beard is a glaring omission."

Lieberman says the fans also missed the boat on Los Angeles Sparks center Lisa Leslie, who is averaging a career-best 20.7 points.

The West starters: forwards Sheryl Swoopes of the Houston Comets and Yolanda Griffith of the Sacramento Monarchs, guards Dawn Staley of the Comets and Sue Bird of the Seattle Storm and center Lauren Jackson of the Storm.

Staley, 36, has said she will retire after this season. She is averaging 7.2 points and 3.2 assists, and her selection might raise a few eyebrows. It even caught Staley a little off guard.

"Of course this is a surprise," said Staley, laughing, "when you got all these guards over here (in the West). I really can't explain how it happened, but certainly the fans have appreciated my contributions and made this somewhat of a going-out party. But I'm appreciative, and I'll play my heart out for them."

*Final voting, 11C

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