The WNBA All-Star game starters were announced Thursday, and the list has thrilled some fans—and has disappointed others. Angel Reese was notably absent from the list of All-Star starters, despite the fact that all three categories of voters technically voted her into a spot.
The list of starters includes Aliyah Boston, Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark, Natasha Howard, Olivia Miles, Kelsey Mitchell, Jessica Shepard, Breanna Stewart, Gabby Williams, and A’ja Wilson. The starters were selected by fans, whose votes counted for 50% of the total weight, the media (25%), and players (25%).
The list was a bit of a surprise for a couple of reasons. Besides Reese's exclusion, this year will mark the first time a WNBA team has had three players start the All-Star game (the Indiana Fever will send Aliyah Boston, Caitlin Clark, and Kelsey Mitchell to Chicago). Both Boston and Clark have been named All-Stars before, and the 2026 season will be Mitchell's first time (she as previously added as a substitute).
But for a lot of fans, the omission of Reese was a bigger deal. When the entire vote breakdown is examined, it looks as though fans, members of the media, and WNBA players have placed Reese at sixth place. That seems like it would be enough to make the cut, but the list can only include ten players—and Reese just lost out by small percentage points.
It's worth noting she's not the only athlete this happened to. Her teammates, Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard, also just missed out on being named starters themselves.
This doesn't mean Reese won't be on the All-Star team. The substitute players for both teams will be selected by coaches in the WNBA, and she has more than proven herself on the court.
The fact that Reese finished so highly and consistently is a strong sign that everyone involved, from fans who love the game, to media who evaluate and explain the game, to players who, well, play the game, believe she's an All-Star caliber athlete.
The 2026 WNBA All-Star Game is in Chicago
The 2026 WNBA All-Star Game will be held in Chicago, Illinois—a city that is more than familiar to Reese, as she spent two seasons playing for the Sky. The game itself will be held on Saturday, July 25, at the United Center.
Unlike Reese, both Clark and Boston's voting tallies had large discrepencies: the pair were ranked No. 2 and No. 3 with fans and media (Clark) and No. 1 and No. 5 with fans and media (Boston), but Clark was ranked No. 11 with players and Boston was ranked No. 8.
Add us as a preferred source on Google