Friday’s worldwide Microsoft outage affecting banks, hospitals, train stations, and airports had effects in the sports world, causing Indiana Fever star Erica Wheeler to miss the WNBA Skills Challenge in Phoenix as part of the league’s All-Star weekend.
Wheeler was attempting to fly from Atlanta to Phoenix for the event when she got stranded at the airport, causing teammate Kelsey Mitchell to take her place in the festivities.
By being stranded in Atlanta, Wheeler missed out on the chance for a possible $55,000, which was given to the individual winners of the skills challenge and the 3-point shooting contest.
For the first time in league history, the same person won both events in the Atlanta Dream’s Allisha Gray.
New York Liberty star Jonquel Jones and Phoenix Mercury standout Sophie Cunningham were each event’s runner-up.
Wheeler had to miss the WNBA’s All-Star Skills Challenge Friday due to the Microsoft outage
Hundreds of flights were delayed or canceled across the country due to the Microsoft outage
Wheeler would have been supporter by teammate Caitlin Clark, who was sat on the floor for the event.
‘I am soooo hurt! But I do want to THANK @Delta employees Geraldine Bird and Pamela Palmer at ATL for helping me thru out the whole day! Also Indiana Fever/Pacer CEO Mel Raines for calling all around the world to get me a charter flight but nothing was available!’ Wheeler said on social media.
The WNBA All-Star Friday night is combined with the All-Star Game on Saturday night, where Team USA will take on the WNBA All-Stars.
All dozen members of Team USA play in the WNBA, while the WNBA All-Stars are arguably the best league stars not to be chosen for a place in Paris.
The WNBA All-Stars did include Clark and Chicago Sky star Angel Reese, while both did not make the Olympic team.
Some of the league’s veteran stars such as Sabrina Ionescu, A’ja Wilson, and Brittney Griner will be a part of Team USA.
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