Preview: 2009 WNBA All-Star Game

Erika de Souza (#14) of the Dream at All-Star practice.

Who: The best players of the WNBA, minus some major names like Lisa Leslie and Lauren Jackson -out due to injuries. Your guess as to who will actually start is as good as mine. Expect Sancho Lyttle and Erika de Souza of the Atlanta Dream to get some court time.

What: It's the WNBA's answer to the mid-season classic. For fans, it's a chance to get together - the tight-knit community of superfans makes the trek to wherever the All-Star Game is being held, like a pilgrimage to Rome. You won't see any of these superfans on TV, but you can watch the game - some of those injured players are sure to show up. This is Lisa Leslie's final year in the WNBA, and the over-under on how many times Lisa Leslie's name will be mentioned during the game is probably at 100.

Where: The Mohegan Sun Arena at Uncasville, Connecticut, home of the Connecticut Sun.

When: Saturday, July 25th at 3:30 pm Eastern. Televised on ABC-TV. There will be some preliminary fun on the court but it won't be shown on ABC. It's the fate of women's sports programming - no lead in, and they leave immediately after the game is over.

Why: Well, for one, this is the first WNBA All-Star Game in two years. Last year, the All-Star Game was canceled for the 2008 Olympics. Now, it's back, and back in Connecticut.

I'm sure we won't see the players gambling at the casinos, but it's a rare chance for players that are normally rivals to play on the same team. It's also a chance to relax, as the game is an exhibition - but it doesn't mean the players don't want to win it. In 2005, the West team scored 122 points and Lisa Leslie dunked at the end. There's always the opportunity to see weird stuff during the game, so don't miss it.