WNBA leaves Atlanta out
The Women’s National Basketball Association named 10 starters for the 2026 All-Star Game on July 2, and no Atlanta Dream player made the first group despite a 12-win and 8-loss record.
Angel Reese called the Dream’s absence a slap in the face after Atlanta stood near the top of the Eastern Conference, with Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray also missing starter spots.
WNBA voting gives fans half the say
WNBA All-Star starters were selected through a weighted vote that gave fans 50% of the vote, while current players and media members each counted for 25% in the final starter formula.
Atlanta had three near-starter candidates in the final table, with Howard fifth among guards, Gray sixth, and Reese seventh among frontcourt players after all ballots were combined on July 2.
Atlanta Dream had a strong record
Atlanta Dream entered the All-Star debate with a 12-win and 8-loss record, which placed the team near the top of the Eastern Conference in early July 2026 voting.
Reese said Atlanta’s conference position was not accidental and credited Howard and Gray for drawing defensive attention, handling tough matchups, and driving the Dream’s strong record before voting closed.
Angel Reese defended Howard and Gray
Angel Reese said she expected disrespect for herself, but her sharpest criticism focused on Howard and Gray after both Atlanta guards missed the 2026 All-Star starter group entirely in July voting.
Reese said Howard and Gray work hard, face extra attention each game, and explain why Atlanta reached its place near the Eastern Conference lead before the starter list came out.
Rhyne Howard missed by one guard spot
Rhyne Howard finished fifth among guards in the WNBA’s combined starter ranking, one place behind Kelsey Mitchell, who earned the fourth guard slot in the official July 2 results table.
Howard’s voting profile showed stronger support from players and media than fans, with ranks of second from players, fourth from media, and ninth from fans among all guards in July.
Allisha Gray ranked sixth among guards
Allisha Gray finished sixth among guards in the official WNBA starter rankings, placing directly behind teammate Rhyne Howard after fan, player, and media ballots were combined into one final score.
Gray ranked seventh with fans, eighth with media, and sixth with players, leaving Atlanta without a starting guard despite two top-six guard finishes in the final combined results table.
Angel Reese missed the frontcourt cut
Angel Reese finished seventh among frontcourt players in WNBA starter voting, one place below Natasha Howard, who claimed the final frontcourt starter spot in the official July 2 results table.
Reese ranked sixth with fans, sixth with media, and sixth with players, but her combined score still missed the six frontcourt starter slots for the 2026 All-Star Game lineup by one place.
WNBA starters included 10 players
The selected guard starters for the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game are Paige Bueckers, Olivia Miles, Caitlin Clark, and Kelsey Mitchell, scheduled for July 25 at the United Center in Chicago.
The frontcourt starters were A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Jessica Shepard, Aliyah Boston, Gabby Williams, and Natasha Howard, giving the event 10 announced starters before coaches pick 12 reserves for announcement on July 7.
Indiana Fever landed three starters
Indiana Fever placed three players in the 2026 starter group, with Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, and Aliyah Boston selected through the fan, player, and media voting formula for Chicago’s game.
The All-Star Game is scheduled for July 25 at the United Center in Chicago, with 12 reserves chosen by league head coaches and set for separate announcement by the league on July 7.
Atlanta still had a reserve path
Atlanta’s starter shutout did not end All-Star chances because reserves remained separate from the first group of 10 starters, with head coaches responsible for choosing the reserve pool for Chicago.
The WNBA set 12 reserve spots for the 2026 All-Star Game, giving Atlanta another route into the event after Reese, Howard, and Gray missed out on starter positions in the voting.
Mystics loss followed Reese’s comments
Atlanta lost 81-76 to the Washington Mystics on July 2, 2026, extending the Dream’s losing streak to 4 games at that point in the season.
Reese finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds in the loss, while Rhyne Howard led Atlanta with 24 points and 5 3-pointers. Allisha Gray added 17 points for the Dream against Washington.
Brandon Jennings questioned the result
Former NBA guard Brandon Jennings questioned Angel Reese’s starter absence on X after the WNBA announced its 2026 All-Star starters, adding another basketball voice to the public reaction after the results came out.
Jennings asked how Reese was not an All-Star starter, while Atlanta’s later 81-76 loss to Washington kept the Dream’s All-Star debate in the spotlight during the same week.
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Angel Reese made the snub a debate
Angel Reese’s response addressed Atlanta’s All-Star omission, the voting structure, and how winning teams are rewarded, given that fan ballots shaped 50% of the starter formula in 2026 voting.
The numbers showed a close miss, not a lack of support, because Reese, Howard, and Gray all finished near the starter line in the official WNBA rankings released July 2.
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Did Angel Reese have a fair point about Atlanta Dream’s All-Star starter snubs, or did the voting system get it right? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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