Las Vegas, Nevada - The best and brightest in women’s pro basketball were playing on Wednesday night in the 2021 WNBA All-Star game.

Team WNBA came out on top, winning 93-85 over the league players who will go on to represent the US next week in the Tokyo Olympics.

Even though the game proved that the women’s league, now in its 25th season, is stronger than ever, more attention was directed towards Team USA's losing performance. The Olympics start next week and hopes are high, given that the women's team has historically been more successful than the men’s squad, winning six-straight gold medals. So, similar to the aftermath of the US men's team recently losing twp exhibition games straight, the women’s team coming up short dampened spirits somewhat.

The Dallas Wings’ Arike Ogunbowale (24) was in control on Wednesday night, putting up a game-high 26 points on her way to winning All-Star MVP honors. Ogunbowale will indeed be absent from Team USA’s appearance in Japan, but is projected by many to have a spot nailed on for the 2024 team.

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After accepting her award, she wished Team USA well in her postgame comments to ESPN: "Good luck to Team USA. All those girls are deserving so...you know, hopefully they go win a gold medal."

WNBA player and active legend Sue Bird, who's still going strong at 40, won four league titles and four Olympic golds and is trying for a fifth this year. She was pretty realistic about the state of the US women’s squad. "This was just the first step. We learn from it and move on. I think we learned we're not a team yet," Bird explained to ESPN after the game.

Team USA has two more upcoming exhibition games, one against Australia on Friday and then Nigeria on Sunday, also from Las Vegas.