Reese on All-Star Snub
Angel Reese Criticizes WNBA All-Star Selections After Atlanta Dream Starters Snubbed
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Key Points
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The announced 2026 All-Star starters list included 10 players across guards and frontcourt, featuring A'ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Paige Bueckers, Jessica Shepard, Olivia Miles, Natasha Howard, Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston, and Gabby Williams.
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Natasha Howard is listed as a starter and plays for the Minnesota Lynx, highlighting that a non-Dream player earned a top-frontcourt spot among the starters.
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Angel Reese was traded to the Atlanta Dream from the Chicago Sky on April 6, providing context for her time with the Dream ahead of the All-Star selections.
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The reserve selections for the All-Star Game will be made by league head coaches, with 12 reserves in total: three guards, five frontcourt players, and two players from either position group.
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Jordin Canada ranks second in steals per game (2.1) and is a standout guard for the Wings, underscoring that Dream players are contributing across categories even if not starting.
Angel Reese is calling out the WNBA for what she says is flat-out disrespect. No Atlanta Dream player was named an All-Star starter for the 2026 game — even though the Dream are leading the Eastern Conference AOL. Reese, who leads the entire league in rebounds and is one of the few players averaging a double-double this season, was furious on behalf of her teammates The Mirror.
"It's disrespectful," Reese said, pointing to teammates Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray as players who deserved starter spots Complex. She called their work and adjustments key reasons the Dream are where they are right now. The All-Star starters were announced on July 2.
Dream Lead the East but Got Shut Out of Starters
The Dream have the fourth-best record in the league Head Top Topics. They have the leading rebounder — Reese — and two of the top-15 scorers. Yet not one Dream player made the starting lineup. Reese ranked seventh among frontcourt players in All-Star voting, which kept her off the starting five.
Howard and Gray also fell short of the starter cutoff AOL. Reese did not hide her frustration. She praised both players openly, saying the team's success belongs to them. She added that she would still welcome a spot as a reserve, but made clear she was speaking up for her teammates first.
How WNBA All-Star Voting Actually Works
The All-Star starter vote is split three ways. Fans control 50 percent of the result. Players and media each hold 25 percent The Mirror. That means a player with a huge social media following can rank ahead of a statistically better player if fans vote in big numbers.
Some fans pushed back on Reese's comments, arguing the voting system — not the WNBA — is the reason Dream players missed out The Shadow League. Still, Reese framed it as a league-wide problem. She said the result sends a bad message when a first-place team gets no starters at all.
Who Made the 2026 All-Star Starting Lineup
The ten announced starters include A'ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Paige Bueckers, Jessica Shepard, Olivia Miles, Natasha Howard, Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston, and Gabby Williams Complex. Natasha Howard, who plays for the Minnesota Lynx, earned one of the top frontcourt spots that Reese and her Dream teammates were fighting for.
The reserve selections come next. League head coaches will pick 12 reserves — three guards, five frontcourt players, and two players from either position group AOL. That gives Howard, Gray, and Reese one more shot to make the All-Star roster. Reese said she hopes that door stays open.
Reese Traded to Atlanta Just Months Before All-Star Picks
Reese joined the Dream on April 6 after being traded from the Chicago Sky Complex. She hit the ground running. She leads the WNBA in rebounds and ranks among the few players averaging a double-double this season — a rare feat at any level of basketball The Mirror.
Her quick impact in Atlanta makes the snub sting more. The Dream are a first-place team built in large part around her play. Reese made clear she is not just upset for herself — she wants Howard and Gray to get the credit she believes they have earned AOL.
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