The WNBA provided one of the best shooters from its previous, current, and attainable future within the Friday prelude to its 2026 All-Star Recreation in Chicago.
Followers bought to see younger expertise make a reputation for themselves in each the Taking pictures Stars Problem and 3-Level Contest, which had been staged at Wintrust Area nearly 24 hours earlier than Saturday’s primary occasion at United Middle. The Taking pictures Stars problem provided a novel set of performs from rising highschool stars, to current stars, and previous legends. With every group representing a WNBA workforce, the Taking pictures Stars problem didn’t disappoint.
The youthful development continued in a 3-Level Contest full of recent faces, one the place one of many league’s prime rookies prevailed when all was mentioned and performed.
Washington Wins Taking pictures Stars Showcase
The night time opened with the Taking pictures Stars competitors, which served as a revamped model of the standard Abilities Problem.
A brand new city-based format provided followers a exhibiting of 1 energetic WNBA participant, one WNBA legend, and one Nike EYBL highschool prospect hailing from the respective locales. The Dallas‘ Wings contingent combined with the Motor Metropolis as a reference to the workforce’s earlier id because the Detroit Shock.
4 groups would compete within the two-round occasion, with the 2 groups who scored probably the most within the opener advancing to the second spherical. The objective was to attain as many factors as attainable from seven completely different places in 70 seconds. With this occasion, audiences bought to see legends in motion and gave rising highschool gamers a platform and likelihood to showcase their expertise.
The groups had been separated within the following fashions:
Workforce Dallas/Detroit: Jessica Shepard, Deanna Nolan, Morghan ReckleyTeam Minnesota: Courtney Williams, Rebekkah Brunson, Ryan CarterTeam Seattle: Flau’jae Johnson, Lauren Jackson, Tatianna GriffinTeam Washington: Shakira Austin, Elena Delle Donne, Jezelle „GG“ Banks
Placing on for the DMV 🗣️
Elena Delle Donne, Shakira Austin and EYBL star Jezelle „GG“ Banks was making it rain from the brand 🤯 pic.twitter.com/jWkuGYyyir
— espnW (@espnW) July 25, 2026
Friday’s opening occasion winner ended up being Workforce Washington, which set the tone by placing up 35 factors within the first spherical. Workforce Washington exploded within the first spherical with their half-court emblem photographs, which had been value 4 factors. The consistency from deep proved an excessive amount of for the competitors as Delle Donne, Austin, and Banks captured the inaugural Taking pictures Stars title and gave Washington followers one more reason to have fun throughout All-Star weekend. Austin’s teammates Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen will play in the principle occasion on Saturday.
Washington’s workforce took residence the trophies with an electrical 31 factors to 24 from Workforce Seattle. The younger highschool recruit Banks would wind up clinching the victory for the group with a clutch half-court emblem shot, then banked one other so as to add onto the victory.
Freshman Fudd Flexes in First Three-Level Contest
Azzi Fudd made historical past tonight!👏
No. 35 turned the primary rookie champion and the primary former UConn participant to win the competitors.
LIVE from Chicago, this is the way it all went down. Is that this just the start for Fudd?
🔗https://t.co/4rHSbLA6Gm pic.twitter.com/P4EmovEEy0
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) July 25, 2026
This 12 months’s three-point contest went within the historical past books, as a rookie gained for the primary time in league historical past. Dallas rookie and new prime decide Azzi Fudd led the best way in a subject full of newcomers, besting Portland’s Bridget Carleton within the last spherical to safe the win. Eradicated after spherical one had been Rhyne Howard (20 factors), Janelle Salaun (19), Marina Mabrey (18), and Natisha Hiedeman (17).
After a formidable first spherical that noticed Carleton lead all individuals with 29 factors, Fudd completed second with 24 to advance to the championship stage. Fudd would save her finest efficiency for final, catching fireplace from past the arc and placing collectively a dominant 30-point efficiency, simply besting Carleton’s 19.
The Wings‘ prized rookie turned the primary rookie ever to win the WNBA 3-Level Contest whereas additionally turning into the primary former UConn participant to say the title. Fudd’s last spherical completely displayed why she went first within the 2026 WNBA Draft, displaying the graceful taking pictures stroke that has made her one of many league’s brightest younger stars.
Remaining Ideas
With each of Friday night time’s occasions highlighting former legends and the subsequent technology of stars, the WNBA’s future was on full show in Chicago. From highschool prospects sharing the ground with Corridor of Fame expertise to a rookie making league historical past from three-point vary, All-Star Weekend proved as soon as once more that the sport continues to develop with each technology.
The Chicago festivities wrap when the twenty first official All-Star Recreation suggestions off on Saturday night time (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC).
