All-Star Starters Announced for Chicago Event
The starters for the 2026 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game have been revealed, featuring a lineup of 10 players selected through voting by fans, current WNBA players, and media. The game is scheduled to take place in Chicago at the United Center on Saturday, July 25, and will be broadcast on ABC.
Among the prominent names are Paige Bueckers of the Dallas Wings, A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces, and Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty. The Indiana Fever will have three players starting: Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Kelsey Mitchell. This marks the first time all three Fever players have been voted in as starters simultaneously, with Mitchell earning her first starting nod after being a replacement in 2025.
Other teams with multiple starters include the Dallas Wings, represented by Bueckers and Jessica Shepard, and the Minnesota Lynx, with Natasha Howard and Olivia Miles. Gabby Williams of the Golden State Valkyries completes the list of 10 starters.
Key Players and Milestones
Several players are achieving significant milestones with their selections. Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson have each been chosen for their eighth All-Star Game, making them the most experienced among the 2026 starters. Olivia Miles of the Minnesota Lynx, Kelsey Mitchell of the Indiana Fever, Jessica Shepard of the Dallas Wings, and Gabby Williams of the Golden State Valkyries are all making their debut as All-Star starters.
Caitlin Clark, the 2024 Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year, is an All-Star for the third consecutive year and ranks among the league leaders in scoring and assists. She recently surpassed 1,000 points, 250 rebounds, and 250 assists in 54 career games, setting a new record. Paige Bueckers, the 2025 Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year, received the most fan votes for the event.
Aliyah Boston, a four-time All-Star, is averaging 17.0 points per game and ranks ninth in rebounding this season. Kelsey Mitchell, in her fourth consecutive All-Star appearance, is third in the WNBA in scoring. Jessica Shepard earns her first All-Star selection in her sixth season, leading the league with two triple-doubles. Gabby Williams leads the WNBA in steals and is averaging a career-high in scoring in her first year with the Valkyries.
New Format and Reserve Selections
This year’s All-Star Game will feature a new format for team selection. Instead of the top two voted players serving as captains, WNBA legends Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon will act as honorary general managers. They will draft their respective rosters from the pool of 22 All-Stars, a change implemented as part of the league’s 30th season celebration.
The 12 All-Star Game reserves will be chosen by the league’s head coaches, who will vote for three guards, five frontcourt players, and four players at either position. Coaches are not permitted to vote for their own players. The announcement of these reserves is scheduled for Tuesday, July 7.
The head coaches for the 2026 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game will be the coaches of the two teams with the best records after games on Friday, July 10.
Further details regarding the roster construction by Team Cooper and Team Weatherspoon are expected to be released in the coming days.
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Source: wnba.com
