The Sting trio of Tammy Sutton-Brown, Dawn Staley and Andrea Stinson are averaging 35.3 points, 14.0 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game this season. Nathaniel S. Butler WNBAE/Getty Images

“I’m so excited about having three players represent the Sting,” said Donovan, whose team is 11-8 and in second place in the East. “It is a testament to this team and what we’ve been able to accomplish last summer and so far this summer, to go from the bottom of the Eastern Conference and really scratch and claw and gain respect. I’m very proud of our entire team, and it’s great that we can have three players recognized.”

The Sting have a starter in Dawn Staley, who is making her second All-Star appearance. Teammates Andrea Stinson and forward Tammy Sutton-Brown join the Eastern Conference’s starting point guard on the East squad. This is Stinson’s third appearance, while Sutton-Brown is making her All-Star debut.

In only her second WNBA season, Sutton-Brown, who is averaging 12.9 points and 6.8 rebounds, gave all the credit of making the All-Star Game to her All-Star teammates.

“They are pretty much the reason that I am here,” she said. “If it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t get the opportunities that I get down in the post.”

Together, Tamecka Dixon, Mwadi Mabika and Lisa Leslie are averaging an impressive 44 points, 18.5 boards and 9.4 assists per game in defense of their WNBA title. Nathaniel S. Butler WNBAE/Getty Images

Joining starting center Lisa Leslie as L.A. representatives are guard Tamecka Dixon and forward Mwadi Mabika. Both were chosen as reserves for the second time.

For Cooper, having three Sparks, especially two-time All-Star MVP Leslie, on the West’s roster means one thing: offense and lots of it. Making her fourth appearance, Leslie is the All-Star Game’s leading scorer (16.3 ppg).

“We are going to try to break the scoring record, get out and play, have fun and be exciting,” said Cooper, whose front-running Sparks own a league-best 15-3 record. And when asked whether the Sparks players would be on the MCI Center court together, Cooper responded succinctly, “It’s a good possibility.”

Leslie, however, doesn’t think the Sparks should be satisfied with only three participants. (L.A. also had three players in the 2000 All-Star Game with Leslie, Mabika and DeLisha Milton.)

“We’re looking to have four or five, but I don’t think anyone else in the league wants to see that,” said Leslie. “It’s a great opportunity, especially for our coaching staff to be here after winning the championship.”

The Sparks won the title by sweeping the Sting, and the West has won the three previous All-Star Games. So while Stinson said she and her teammates appreciate what it means to be sharing this experience along with their coaching staff, winning the game would be an added pleasure.

“We’ve been though a lot, and I think it’s great to be represented here with the coaching staff and Dawn [Staley] and Tammy [Sutton-Brown] and myself,” said Stinson. “We just come out here to enjoy ourselves and interact with the other players and win this All-Star Game.”