Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese said she felt disrespected after being left off the 2026 WNBA All-Star starter list.
The omission of Reese and her teammates is significant because it highlights a disconnect between statistical dominance and the league's voting outcomes. As a league leader in rebounds [1], Reese represents one of the most impactful players in the current season.
Reese addressed the situation in press interviews and on ESPN’s Vibe Check podcast. She said the voting results were a "slap in the face" [2]. The frustration stems from the fact that no players from the Atlanta Dream were selected as starters, despite the team holding a 12-8 record [5] at the time of the voting.
"I expect to be disrespected," Reese said [2].
The forward said the lack of representation for her team was particularly jarring given their performance on the court. "It's disrespectful," Reese said regarding the outcome of the All-Star voting [4].
The 2026 All-Star selections were announced earlier this month [1]. While the league uses a combination of votes to determine the starting lineup, the results have left Reese questioning the process. She said the exclusion of the Dream's roster felt like a dismissal of the team's collective success during the first half of the season.
Reese has become a focal point of the league's conversation due to her rebounding prowess and vocal personality. By speaking out, she has brought attention to the discrepancy between the Dream's winning record [5] and their lack of visibility in the All-Star starting lineup.
“"For us not to have anyone was just a slap in the face."”
This situation underscores the tension between traditional popularity contests in All-Star voting and actual on-court production. When a top-performing team like the Atlanta Dream is entirely shut out of the starting lineup, it often sparks a broader debate about how the WNBA recognizes emerging stars and team success versus established brand names.
