The 2026 WNBA All-Star starters have been announced, but Angel Reese wasn’t on the list. Despite the Atlanta Dream’s 12-7 record (which puts them at no. 4 in the league standings) and Reese’s significant contributions to that solid start, the 6-foot-4 forward still won’t be getting a starting nod this year.
On Thursday, ESPN’s Monica McNutt reacted to the snub, which marks the third consecutive season that Reese won’t be getting an All-Star starting spot despite her immense popularity within the league.
“I do wonder if there should have been some representation out of Atlanta, whether you want to go with the league’s leading rebounder Angel Reese.”
Though McNutt also advocated for Reese’s high-scoring teammates Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard, she admitted that she’s “not jumping up and down” about having to take a name off the starters list, so that Reese, Gray, or Howard could have a spot.
Making the list of All-Star starters this year are the Indiana Fever tandem of Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston, the Dallas Wings duo of Paige Bueckers and Jessica Shepard, and the Minnesota Lynx pair of Olivia Miles and Natasha Howard.
Also voted in were the Las Vegas Aces’ A’ja Wilson, the New York Liberty’s Breanna Stewart, and the Golden State Valkyries’ Gabby Williams.
Fans accounted for 50% of the vote to determine the All-Star starters, while members of the media and current WNBA players had 25% apiece. The league’s head coaches will then select the 12 reserves, which means that Reese can still make her third All-Star appearance after all.
Analyst Reacts to “Insane” Snub of Angel Reese as WNBA Releases Breakdown of Votes
Along with the names of this year’s All-Star starters, the WNBA released the breakdown of the vote. Per this breakdown, which used a system of weighted scores, Reese narrowly missed the cut as the weighted scores came in at seventh among all frontcourt players. Only six frontcourt players, of course, could be given a spot in the All-Star starting lineups.
Though the system of weighted scores was in place, analyst Trysta Krick couldn’t help but react to Reese’s feat of placing within the top 10 of the fan vote, the media vote, and the player vote alike.
“Angel Reese unanimously being voted an All-Star starter by the fans, media, and players, yet somehow not starting the All-Star game, is insane.”
While Krick and other Reese supporters continue to groan at the starter snub, it will now be up to the WNBA’s head coaches to give the league’s leading rebounder a spot in the All-Star Game on July 25.
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