WNBA guard who led All-Star voting didn’t see it coming

Allisha Gray always aims to be an All-Star.

But this year, the 30-year-old guard has taken her game to another level. She’s averaging 18.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists — all career-highs, while shooting 44.3% from the field and 38.9% from three.

In turn, Gray finished first among all WNBA guards in All-Star voting among both players and fans. She credits her offensive jump to head coach Karl Smesko’s new offensive system.

“From a standpoint of basketball, I’m at my best when I don’t think so much,” Gray told SB Nation, explaining that Smesko’s system has allowed her decision-making to be intuitive.

“It’s just thinkless basketball,” Gray said. “We don’t come down and set up a play. It’s just within the flow of the game. If stuff gets hectic, then we do a play call. But for the most part, it’s thinkless basketball.”

Gray’s teammates aren’t surprised at her success — they saw it coming from a mile away

“It’s been great being teammates with her,” Rhyne Howard, a fellow WNBA All-Star, told SB Nation. “I knew that she could perform like this before this year, being able to see it firsthand and seeing it come to fruition — it’s helpful for everybody.”

Photo by Andrew J. Clark/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images

Gray said her goal is always to make the All-Star team, but that being named an All-Star starter was the cherry on top.

Howard, who’s having a superb year herself, said that Gray’s elevation has benefited the entire team, which is 12-9 and has the WNBA’s fifth-best record.

“You can’t apply too much pressure to anybody on the team, because you have somebody like her on the other side,” Howard said. “And so being able to witness it, and seeing how much fun she’s having and how happy she is this year, it’s been great to see, especially that she’s my best friend as well. I always want the best for her.”

“And so being able to have a firsthand look into it, and seeing how she’s been so successful, and really continuing to push her to more aggressive, and seeing her having this much success, I think it’s really, really great for all of us.”

Allisha Gray returns for her third All-Star performance

Gray made a splash last All-Star weekend, when she won both the Skills Challenge and Three-Point Challenge, collecting more than $115,00 in bonuses.

This year, the 2017 WNBA Rookie of the Year returns for her third All-Star appearance, though her status league-wide far exceeds her previous standing.

This year, Gray recorded her first career 30-point game. She’s one of the best high-volume three-point shooters in the league, and has been critical to every aspect of the Dream’s success.

“I knew that within the right system, I could be this player,” Gray said. “All WNBA, for sure. MVP conversations? I never imagined myself in those conversations. But it’s just a testament to my teammates. None of this would be possible without them.”