The WNBA is celebrating its thirtieth season, and one of many largest extravaganzas of the season is ready to happen throughout All-Star Weekend in Chicago.
This 12 months’s festivities are distinctive within the sense that followers will witness stars from one of many WNBA’s best eras blended with the league’s future faces.
The combo of elite veterans and younger superstars will share the court docket on the United Middle on Saturday, with the sport serving because the centerpiece of a two-day occasion that additionally contains the always-popular 3-Level and Capturing Stars Contests on Friday.
Including a nostalgic contact to the thirtieth season celebration, WNBA legends Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon are honorary common managers for the All-Star Recreation and just lately drafted their groups from the pool of twenty-two All-Stars for coaches Becky Hammon and Cheryl Reeve.
Hammon will coach Group Coop and Reeve will lead Group Spoon.
Whereas we watch for the members of the challenges to be introduced, we have ranked the groups‘ rosters based mostly solely on how every participant is performing by means of Monday’s video games.
The WNBA All-Star rosters are set 🍿
Will Group Coop or Group Spoon take dwelling the victory? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/11qWzSsY85
— espnW (@espnW) July 15, 2026
Group Coop
Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings (20.9 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 6.2 APG)
For those who’re beginning a franchise and constructing for future success on the court docket, Bueckers needs to be everybody’s reply. A do-it-all guard, the Dallas Wings‘ franchise face can rating on all three ranges. Her most vital high quality, although, is the management she’s discovered to show over her first season and a half.
She instructions respect along with her mere presence and is aware of find out how to get her workforce concerned in all the things it is doing. There is a cause she’s the sportsbooks‘ closest contender to A’ja Wilson for MVP.
Kelsey Mitchell, Indiana Fever (23.3 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.0 SPG)
Mitchell is not simply the most effective general participant on the Indiana Fever. She could be the quickest participant within the WNBA. If you have not seen her dash in transition, it could be as a result of she was transferring too quick. Her basketball IQ blends properly with the poise and calm she brings to any lineup.
Her expertise are elite: she will be able to end with both hand, depart you in her tracks by stopping for a mid-range jumper, or bury a 3-pointer each time she needs. And regardless of her dimension, she’s sturdy sufficient to battle by means of contact to complete wherever she needs on the court docket.
Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty (21.1 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.4 BPG)
Stewie could be essentially the most particular participant of all the lot, from each groups. Think about being within the MVP dialog over three eras: her personal, the transitional section into Wilson’s period, and the latest period with Bueckers. Discuss a stretch 4 who can play in any respect three ranges. The New York Liberty veteran is aware of find out how to get everybody concerned, be it on the offensive finish or getting everybody in place on the defensive facet.
She’s nonetheless able to taking up a sport and can at all times have her workforce within the championship dialog.
Kelsey Plum, Los Angeles Sparks (23.9 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 6.4 APG, 1.2 SPG)
Had the Los Angeles Sparks‘ veteran guard been wholesome all the time, there is a good probability she can be No. 1. She’s nonetheless ranked No. 2 within the league with 23.9 factors per sport, regardless of having performed simply 12 video games, whereas hitting 52.7% from the sector.
She was additionally averaging 6.4 assists per contest earlier than taking place with an harm. Plum remains to be listed as an MVP candidate by sportsbooks; that is how nicely she was taking part in earlier this season.
Jackie Younger, Las Vegas Aces (16.4 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 6.8 APG, 1.0 SPG)
The Las Vegas Aces sniper might be essentially the most harmful participant on the court docket at any given time, as a result of when she needs to take over, no one can cease her. Younger’s dedication to her off-court coaching has led her to have one of many strongest physiques within the sport. She is able to bullying smaller defenders on the drive and may take up contact whereas ending in site visitors.
One other three-level scorer, do not be shocked if Younger emerges as an MVP candidate this All-Star Weekend.
Natasha Howard, Minnesota Lynx (16.1 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.8 SPG)
Speak concerning the good elixir for the absence of one of many league’s prime 5 gamers. Howard is simply as massive a cause as anybody that the Minnesota Lynx are taking part in in addition to they’ve. A resurgent season after final 12 months’s clunker in Indiana, the veteran ahead is taking pictures a career-high 58.7% from the sector, which ranks No. 6 within the league amongst gamers with 15 video games performed.
She additionally ranks No. 15 in rebounds per sport. Her return to the All-Star Recreation for the primary time since 2022 is nicely deserved.
Angel Reese, Atlanta Dream (15.4 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.7 SPG)
The ATL-Barbie could be the most effective pure rebounder within the league. Whereas Wilson, Stewart and a number of other others can maintain their very own within the paint, Reese cleans the glass higher than anybody. The third-year professional is having fun with profession highs in factors and steals, as her trajectory continues upward.
The shift to Atlanta to play for the Dream has been useful for not solely Reese, however her new teammates, who’ve entrusted the paint to their younger famous person.
Gabby Williams, Golden State Valkyries (14.8 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.7 SPG)
It is wild that the most effective participant on the Golden State Valkyries, who’re arguably the most effective workforce within the league proper now, is not listed as an MVP candidate by sportsbooks. Williams is without doubt one of the names talked about for Defensive Participant of the 12 months, however she’s undoubtedly been the Valkyries‘ greatest participant.
Williams can legitimately guard positions one by means of 4 with a tenacity that disrupts opposing offenses with steals, deflections, and defensive versatility.
Marina Mabrey, Toronto Tempo (21.0 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.1 SPG)
The eight-year veteran is having fun with a profession marketing campaign, which is why she is going to take part in her first All-Star Recreation. Even after Brittney Sykes went down with an harm, Mabrey has carried out all the things attainable to maintain the Toronto Tempo related within the playoff dialog.
She’s given the Tempo an id and is somebody who creates offense each evening, embraces the highlight, and has stabilized a younger roster to assist coach Sandy Brondello construct a basis for the first-year enlargement workforce. After years of service to the league and a number of other groups, Mabrey is lastly getting the respect she’s at all times deserved.
Dominique Malonga, Seattle Storm (16.1 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.2 BPG)
The second-year heart has gone from getting votes on the Sixth Participant of the 12 months poll to being an All-Star. Contemplating the struggles of the Seattle Storm, the 6-foot-6 heart from Cameroon is placing up insane numbers at simply 20 years outdated. Malonga, who grew to become the youngest participant in WNBA historical past to achieve a number of main statistical milestones, together with 500 profession factors and 300 rebounds, has redefined what a contemporary heart might be.
She protects the rim, rebounds with authority, runs the ground like a wing, and finishes above the rim. Having established a reputable 3-point shot has made her a harmful entity, contemplating that may be extraordinarily uncommon for a participant her dimension.
Sonia Citron, Washington Mystics (17.0 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.3 SPG)
Let it’s recognized: on any given evening the Washington Mystics‘ second-year guard might rank within the prime 5 of this record. It isn’t disrespectful to fall eleventh on a listing of those greats, although, as Citron can maintain her personal on any given evening. Her skill to mix effectivity, versatility, and basketball intelligence has made her one of many WNBA’s hardest younger wings to defend. She’s already one of many league’s premier perimeter threats, whereas having discovered a knack for scoring with out dominating the ball.
Citron does not want 20 dribbles to create offense, as she will be able to rating off catch-and-shoot alternatives, curling off screens, reducing by means of the lane, in transition, or by attacking closeouts. Like Younger in Las Vegas, Citron has been labeled „The Silent Murderer“ in D.C. She’s seemingly the one one in that city who can carry that moniker and be cheered for it.
