Reese blasts Dream All-Star snub as Gabby Williams makes history
Angel Reese said it was "disrespectful" that the surging Atlanta Dream had zero WNBA All-Star starters, while Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Williams earned the franchise's first starting nod Thursday. Reese singled out guards Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray after the league named 10 starters for the July 25 game in Chicago.
The WNBA unveiled its 2026 AT&T All-Star starting lineup on Thursday, mixing established superstars with breakout names. The same announcement that made Gabby Williams the Valkyries' first-ever starter also left Atlanta empty-handed among the top vote-getters.
Key Takeaways
- Angel Reese called the Dream's zero-starter result "disrespectful" and a "slap in the face," defending Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray.
- Ten starters were chosen from fan (50%), media (25%), and player (25%) voting: four guards and six frontcourt players.
- Gabby Williams became Golden State's first All-Star starter, learning the news from commissioner Cathy Engelbert before a team surprise.
- Reese said she still expects Howard, Gray, and other Dream players to be All-Stars even without starting spots.
- The 2026 All-Star Game is set for July 25 at Chicago's United Center.
Why Did Angel Reese Call the Dream Snub Disrespectful?
Reese, a two-time All-Star, spoke out on behalf of teammates who she said rarely do. "I expect to be disrespected," she told reporters. "For those two though, I think they work so hard and they put a lot of work in, and the way that they're guarded every game and they [have to] adjust."
She tied Atlanta's success directly to Howard and Gray. "The reason why we're where we are is because of those two," Reese said. "For us not to have anyone was just a slap in the face, but they're not going to say anything. I am."
Reese added that she had stayed quiet in media for much of a difficult two-year stretch but felt compelled to speak now. She congratulated the chosen starters as well deserved while calling Atlanta's exclusion a "very big shocker" for a team having "so much success this year."
Who Made the 2026 WNBA All-Star Starting Lineup?
According to the WNBA's official announcement, guard starters are Paige Bueckers (Dallas Wings), Caitlin Clark (Indiana Fever), Olivia Miles (Minnesota Lynx), and Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever). Frontcourt starters are A'ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces), Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty), Aliyah Boston (Indiana Fever), Natasha Howard (Minnesota Lynx), Jessica Shepard (Dallas Wings), and Gabby Williams (Golden State Valkyries).
Bueckers led all players in fan voting with 1,045,051 votes, followed by Clark at 1,023,321. The Fever placed three players in the starting five, while the Lynx and Wings each landed two. Reese said the Dream's blank starter slate was especially surprising given how well Atlanta has played this season.
How Did Gabby Williams React to Her Historic All-Star Start?
Williams learned she would start during a call from WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, then kept the secret until coach Natalie Nakase surprised the Valkyries after practice. Kayla Thornton had been Golden State's first All-Star last season as a reserve; Williams is now the franchise's first starter.
Midway through a career-best season, Williams downplayed individual ambition. "I didn't come to the Valkyries to be an All-Star," she said. "Those things are just the product of everything that we do every day." After celebrating with teammates Wednesday, she added: "I felt this in my core. I'm an emotional person. So feeling love like that, I feel whole."
Reese said she has "no doubt" Dream players will still be All-Stars. For now, the starter reveal has sharpened debate over whether fan-heavy voting fairly reflects team success—a storyline worth tracking in our Celebrity Breaking News coverage as Chicago's July 25 showcase approaches.