​The WNBA revealed its All-Star reserves on Tuesday, completing the pool of players for the midseason showcase after last week’s announcement of the starters. A trio from the Atlanta Dream—Angel Reese, Rhyne Howard, and Allisha Gray—earned spots among the 12 reserves that round out the All-Star rosters. The selected players also include Nneka Ogwumike and Kelsey Plum of the Los Angeles Sparks, Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen of the Washington Mystics, Marina Mabrey of the Toronto Tempo, Courtney Williams of the Minnesota Lynx, Jackie Young of the Las Vegas Aces, Jonquel Jones of the New York Liberty, and Dominique Malonga of the Seattle Storm.
Ogwuimike’s addition marked the 11th All-Star appearance of her career, tying her with Diana Taurasi for the second-most All-Star selections in WNBA history. Only Sue Bird, with 13 career appearances, sits above them. The reserves were chosen by the league’s 15 head coaches, who were barred from voting for players on their own teams. The 12 reserves join a pool of 22 players, complementing the 10 starters who were selected through a weighted voting system that combines fan voting (50%), player input (25%), and media voting (25%).
The 12 reserves and the 10 starters together form the complete All-Star pool for the game. Notable players in the overall pool include A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces, Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston of the Indiana Fever, Kelsey Mitchell of Indiana, Paige Bueckers, Jessica Shepard, and OliviaMiles from different teams, Natasha Howard and Gabby Williams of the Minnesota Lynx and Golden State Valkyries, and Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty.
The rosters for the actual All-Star teams, however, have yet to be finalized. In celebration of the WNBA’s 30th anniversary, Hall of Famers Teresa Weatherspoon and Cynthia Cooper will serve as general managers of the two All-Star squads, drafting their rosters from the pool of 22 players. The draft details, including date, time, and broadcast information, have not been released. The All-Star Game is scheduled for July 25 at Chicago’s United Center, airing at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time on ABC. It’s worth noting that no players from the Chicago Sky were selected for the game.
As for coaches, selections have not yet been announced. The coaches for the All-Star teams will be the head coaches of the two teams with the best records in the league as of July 10. Based on standings as of Tuesday afternoon, Becky Hammon of the Aces and Cheryl Reeve of the Lynx would appear to be in position to earn coaching duties. Through Tuesday, Las Vegas and Minnesota were tied for the WNBA’s best record at 15-6, with the Dallas Wings trailing slightly at 15-7 in the standings. This dynamic sets the stage for an exciting draft and a competitive All-Star showcase, as teams prepare to assemble rosters under the guidance of the two veteran general managers in Weatherspoon and Cooper.