Rhyne Howard, Angel Reese, and Kelsey Plum Named WNBA All-Star Reserves

The WNBA announced its 12 All-Star reserve players on Tuesday, July 7, filling out the rosters for the 2026 All-Star Game. The game will be played in Chicago at the United Center on July 25. Unlike the 10 starters, who were picked by fans, media, and current players, the reserves were chosen by the league's 15 head coaches. The Atlanta Dream stood out the most, landing three players on the reserve list.

Angel Reese of the Atlanta Dream called it 'a slap in the face' when no Dream players were named as All-Star starters. But the Dream bounced back in a big way with three reserve spots. Reese, guard Rhyne Howard, and guard Allisha Gray all earned spots on the All-Star roster, making Atlanta the most-represented team among the reserves.

Rhyne Howard is one of the best players on both offense and defense this season. The 6-foot-2 guard is averaging career highs in points (18.9 per game), field-goal percentage (41.6%), and 3-point percentage (36.8%). She also leads the entire league in steals with 2.5 per game, showing just how dangerous she is on defense. Her 67 made 3-pointers tie Marina Mabrey for the most in the league.

Angel Reese continues to dominate the boards for Atlanta. She leads the league in rebounds with 11.8 per game and in offensive rebounds with 5.4 per game. Reese also became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 1,000 career rebounds, doing it in just 79 games — beating the previous record of 89 games held by Tina Charles. She also set the record for the most double-doubles in a player's first 75 career games, with 57.

Kelsey Plum of the Los Angeles Sparks earned her fifth All-Star nod in a row. The 5-foot-8 guard is averaging a career-high 23.9 points per game, which ranks second in the whole league. She is also a strong passer, putting up 6.4 assists per game. Plum missed time with a lower leg injury, which likely cost her a starting spot.

Marina Mabrey of the Toronto Tempo earned her first All-Star selection in her eighth season. She is averaging career highs in points (21.1 per game) and field-goal percentage (45.5%). Mabrey leads the league with 3.5 three-pointers per game, and she tied the single-game scoring record earlier this season with 53 points, joining A'ja Wilson and Liz Cambage.

Nneka Ogwumike of the Los Angeles Sparks made history with her 11th All-Star appearance. That ties her with Diana Taurasi for the second-most All-Star selections in WNBA history, behind only Sue Bird's all-time record of 13. Ogwumike is averaging 16.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game this season, continuing to be one of the league's most reliable veterans.

For the All-Star Game itself, the two head coaches will come from the teams with the best records after games on July 10. As part of the league's 30th season celebration, WNBA legends Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon will serve as honorary general managers. They will draft their teams from the full pool of 22 All-Stars, making this year's event extra special.