Connecticut Sun teammates Alex Bentley and Kelsey Bone
to make their first all-star appearances on Saturday

The WNBA released its all-star reserves late last night and leading the list are former UConn stars Sue Bird and Stefanie Dolson and the Connecticut Sun duo of Alex Bentley and Kelsey Bone.

This is Bird's ninth all-star game and the Seattle Storm guard has been a starter seven times. Bird leads the Seattle Storm in scoring (10.3 points per game) and is the WNBA leader with an average of 5.5 assists per game.

With the Tulsa Shock's Skylar Diggins, one of the Western Conference starting guards, out for the year with a torn ACL, and fellow starter Seimone Augustus of Minnesota currently out with a knee injury, Bird would have to be considering among the top candidates to be named a starter. WNBA President Laurel Richie will announce the injury replacements while all-star game coaches make the changes in the starting lineups.

Dolson will be making her first all-star appearance. She is 15th in the WNBA in scoring with an average of 13.4 points per game and is averaging 7.3 rebounds per game. There are now four former UConn stars on rosters for Saturday's WNBA All-Star game as Tina Charles of the New York Liberty will start for the East and Maya Moore of the Minnesota Lynx will be in the starting lineup for the Western Conference.

Bentley, in her third season in the WNBA and second with the Connecticut Sun, is sixth in the league in scoring (17.1 points per game) and her average of 2.64 steals per game is second in the WNBA.

Bone, also in her second season with the Sun and third in the league. She leads the Sun in rebounding (6.3 per game) and is second in scoring (15.4).

Here's reaction from Bentley and Bone courtesy of the Connecticut Sun

Alex Bentley on being named to the All-Star game“I am really honored to be a part of the All-Star game. I would not be here without the help of my teammates, and I also have to thank coach Donovan, who has put me in a great situation where I had more opportunity to succeed. It’s going to be great to play on my home court.”

Kelsey Bone on being named to the All-Star game“As a little girl, it’s something that you always dream about. It’s a testament to my teammates, and I am excited to be able to represent the Sun at home for this All Star game."​

Here are the reserves (although Lindsay Whalen's status is up in the air after being poked in the eye in Sunday's game and the Minnesota guard is considered iffy to play tonight when the Lynx host the Sun).

Eastern Conference: Bentley, Bone, Marissa Coleman (Indiana), Dolson, Emma Meesserman (Washington) and Cappie Pondexter (New York).
Western Conference: Bird, DeWanna Bonner (Phoenix), Nneka Ogwumike (Los Angeles), Plenette Pierson (Tulsa), Danielle Robinson (San Antonio) and Whalen.

Fans can watch Friday's all-star practices from 3-5 p.m. at Mohegan Sun Arena for free. The game is set for Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and will air on ABC.