11 months ago
24
Multiple Contributors
Jul 4, 2025, 07:45 AM ET
July is successful afloat swing, which means the 2025 WNBA All-Star Weekend is close astir the corner.
On Monday, the league announced the eight starters -- Aliyah Boston, Paige Bueckers, Allisha Gray, Sabrina Ionescu, Nneka Ogwumike, Satou Sabally, Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson -- who volition instrumentality the tribunal alongside captains Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier for the accumulation connected July 19 (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC) successful Indianapolis.
The league's 13 caput coaches person since been tasked with selecting the 12 All-Star Game reserves. Each indispensable prime 3 guards, 5 frontcourt players and 4 players careless of position, and coaches cannot ballot for their ain players.
The 12 reserves volition beryllium announced connected WNBA societal and integer platforms astatine noon ET connected Sunday, portion ESPN volition aerial the results of the roster draught -- successful which Clark and Collier prime their respective teams -- during "WNBA Countdown" astatine 7 p.m. ET Tuesday.
Ahead of Sunday's announcement, ESPN's Alexa Philippou, Michael Voepel, Kendra Andrews and Kevin Pelton task which players volition beryllium selected arsenic the 12 reserves to circular retired the 2025 WNBA All-Stars.
Projected reserves
Frontcourt
1:39
Angel Reese has her archetypal triple-double successful the WNBA
Angel Reese records her archetypal triple-double for the Chicago Sky with 11 assists, 11 points and 13 rebounds.
Angel Reese, Chicago Sky, F
Standout stat: Leads league successful rebounding (12.6 RPG)
Number of erstwhile All-Star appearances: 1
Reese has bounced backmost from a pugnacious commencement to the play to gain a spot connected this list. She remains an elite rebounder, but what stands retired astir astir her sophomore run is the improvement of her playmaking. Reese shined precocious with a 24-point, 16-rebound, 7-assist outing against the Los Angeles Sparks and earlier successful June notched her archetypal triple-double, against Connecticut. Her tract extremity clip is besides astir 15 percent points amended successful June than successful May (45.9% vs. 31.1%). -- Philippou
0:18
Alyssa Thomas finishes done contact
Alyssa Thomas finishes done contact, 06/29/2025
Alyssa Thomas, Phoenix Mercury, F
Standout stat: Leads league successful assists (9.3 APG)
Number of erstwhile All-Star appearances: 5
Thomas was known arsenic the "Engine" during her tenure successful Connecticut, wherever she was a perennial MVP and DPOY candidate. Those attributes person translated to her archetypal play successful Phoenix, wherever she is thriving successful a strategy built astir her strengths. The Maryland Terrapins fable has propelled the Mercury to 1 of their champion starts successful years arsenic the new-look squad has outperformed preseason expectations. Thomas missed 5 games earlier this summertime due to the fact that of a calf injury, but her career-high 9.3 assists per crippled pb the league. -- Philippou
0:16
Brionna Jones with the hoop and harm for Atlanta
Brionna Jones finishes done interaction for the Dream vs. the Liberty.
Brionna Jones, Atlanta Dream, F
Standout stat: Leads Dream successful rebounding (7.9 RPG)
Number of erstwhile All-Star appearances: 3
After 8 seasons successful Connecticut, Jones signed arsenic a escaped cause with Atlanta and is simply a cardinal portion of the Dream's occurrence truthful far. She is the anchor for their rebounding and a dependable defender inside. She has adjusted her violative crippled (13.8 PPG) to adhd the 3-pointer -- a staple for first-year Dream manager Karl Smesko -- and has already attempted much shots from beyond the arc this twelvemonth than successful her erstwhile 3 seasons combined. While she's inactive looking to amended her 3-point percent (23.1), she's showing she tin inactive germinate her game. -- Voepel
0:39
Kayla Thornton drills dagger 3 for Valkyries successful OT
Kayla Thornton connects connected a 3-pointer successful the last infinitesimal to springiness the Valkyries a six-point pb implicit the Sparks.
Kayla Thornton, Golden State Valkyries, F
Standout stat: Leads Valkyries successful points (15 PPG), rebounds (6.9 RPG) and steals (1.7 SPG)
Number of erstwhile All-Star appearances: None
Thornton was integral to the New York Liberty's rubric tally past play arsenic a relation subordinate earlier being near unprotected successful the enlargement draught and subsequently selected by the Golden State Valkyries. Now, she's playing immoderate of the champion hoops of her career. More impressively, she's helping the Valkyries stroke their preseason expectations retired of the h2o and contend for a playoff spot. -- Andrews
0:22
Gabby Williams' heads-up walk sets up bucket for Storm
Gabby Williams, Seattle Storm, F
Standout stat: Leads league successful steals (2.6 APG)
Number of erstwhile All-Star appearances: None
Playing her archetypal afloat WNBA play since 2022, Williams has brought stateside the elite play we've seen from her with the French nationalist squad and successful EuroLeague. In summation to starring the WNBA successful steals, she recorded point-rebound and point-assist double-doubles successful consecutive games past month, highlighting her versatility. Shooting has historically been the weakest portion of Williams' game, and she has improved there, too, hitting a career-high 37% from beyond the arc and starring the Storm successful made 3s. -- Pelton
Guards
0:16
Skylar Diggins drains the trey
Skylar Diggins drains the trey
Skylar Diggins, Seattle Storm, G
Standout stat: Leads Storm successful points (18.9 PPG) and assists (6.1 APG)
Number of erstwhile All-Star appearances: 6
Picking up wherever she near disconnected aft the 2024 Olympic interruption and an outstanding play successful the Unrivaled 3-on-3 league, Diggins has been the starring scorer and distributor for a Seattle squad that hasn't missed All-Star defender Jewell Loyd. In particular, Diggins' 41.8% 3-point shooting has been important for a Storm squad that takes comparatively fewer triples but makes them astatine a precocious rate. Her statistical accumulation is akin crossed the board, if not better, than erstwhile she made All-WNBA archetypal squad successful 2022. As a result, the large question isn't whether Diggins should beryllium a reserve, but whether she merited starting the game. -- Pelton
1:43
Rhyne Howard (15 points) Highlights vs. Minnesota Lynx
Rhyne Howard (15 points) Highlights vs. Minnesota Lynx, 06/27/2025
Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream, G
Standout stat: 49 3-pointers made
Number of erstwhile All-Star appearances: 2
Allisha Gray volition correspond Atlanta among the All-Star starters, but Howard, the different fractional of the Dream's backcourt powerfulness duo, has a beardown lawsuit for joining her teammate successful Indianapolis. The 2022 No. 1 prime leads the league successful made 3s and is averaging a career-high 4.7 assists per game, astir connected the team. While she's susceptible of violative explosions -- she has tallied a brace of 30-point games already this play -- her All-Star lawsuit is further bolstered arsenic she continues to found herself arsenic 1 of the premier helping defenders successful the WNBA. -- Philippou
0:27
Kayla McBride gathers the stone and splashes a 3
Kayla McBride gathers the stone and splashes a 3.
Kayla McBride, Minnesota Lynx, G
Standout stat: Shooting a career-best 45.7% from the field
Number of erstwhile All-Star appearances: 4
Now successful her 12th WNBA season, McBride is the No. 2 scorer for the league-leading Lynx. She averaged a career-best 2.7 3s per crippled past play and is astatine 2.8 this year. Her 2-point shooting percent is besides the highest it has been successful her vocation (54.5). The determination to Minnesota successful 2021 has been the champion happening for McBride and for the Lynx, arsenic she has acceptable manager Cheryl Reeve's strategy truthful good and has been specified a bully complement to Napheesa Collier. -- Voepel
0:23
Kelsey Mitchell helps seal Fever's Commissioner's Cup triumph implicit Lynx
Kelsey Mitchell makes a jumper to enactment the Fever up 12 points precocious successful the 4th quarter.
Kelsey Mitchell, Indiana Fever, G
Standout stat: Leads Fever successful scoring (18.9 PPG)
Number of erstwhile All-Star appearances: 2
The Indiana Fever person 2 All-Star starters successful Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston, but Mitchell could precise good correspond the squad arsenic a reserve. She has been an integral portion of Indiana's success, particularly precocious arsenic Clark has been sidelined by a near groin injury, averaging 21 points implicit the past 3 games. Mitchell's 18.9 points per crippled connected the play leads the team, and she's playing the second-most minutes down conscionable Clark. Earlier this season, Mitchell besides became the fourth-fastest subordinate successful WNBA past to scope 4,000 points, 500 rebounds, 500 assists and 500 made 3-pointers. -- Andrews
1:13
Kelsey Plum comes live successful 4th to steer Sparks past Fever
Kelsey Plum goes connected a teardrop successful the 4th fourth to steer the Sparks to a hard-fought triumph implicit the Fever.
Kelsey Plum, Los Angeles Sparks, G
Standout stat: Fourth successful league successful scoring (20.6 PPG)
Number of erstwhile All-Star appearances: 3
Plum landing successful Los Angeles was 1 of the biggest moves successful February's escaped bureau period, and portion the Sparks are struggling, she is playing astatine an All-Star level. She has career-high marks successful scoring (20.6 points per game) arsenic good arsenic rebounds (3.0 per game) and assists (5.6 per game). There are lone six players successful league past who averaged 20 points and 5 assists successful a season, and Plum is connected way to bash it for the second clip successful her career. -- Andrews
0:20
Brittney Sykes someway gets circus changeable to drop
Brittney Sykes scores for the Mystics with a chaotic and-1 against the Sky.
Brittney Sykes, Washington Mystics, G
Standout stat: Leads league successful made escaped throws (7.1 FTMPG)
Number of erstwhile All-Star appearances: None
After the Mystics traded distant seasoned defender Ariel Atkins and drafted 3 players successful the archetypal circular of the 2025 WNBA draft, they appeared to beryllium heading into a rebuild. Along with the accumulation of rookie starters Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen, morganatic All-Star contenders successful their ain right, Sykes has been the biggest crushed Washington is inactive competing for a playoff spot. Improbably, Sykes leads the WNBA successful escaped throws made and attempted, averaging much than treble her erstwhile per-game vocation precocious successful some categories. As a effect of those trips to the foul line, and an 80% accuracy rate, Sykes' ratio hasn't dropped adjacent arsenic she has been asked to make much discourtesy portion averaging vocation highs successful points (18.6) and assists (4.8). -- Pelton
0:19
Jackie Young with the changeable made
Jackie Young with the changeable made, 06/26/2025
Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces, G
Standout stat: Averaging a career-high 18.0 PPG
Number of erstwhile All-Star appearances: 3
The Aces haven't played arsenic good this play arsenic they are utilized to, but Young's accordant accumulation hasn't changed. She has averaged astir 4.0 assists and 4.0 rebounds done her seven-season career, and that's wherever she is now. Her 3-point shooting percent (31.5) is disconnected from the past 3 seasons, but she has clip to amended that. And defensively, she's inactive 1 of the astir versatile players successful the league, arsenic she tin defender anyone. -- Voepel
Who was the toughest subordinate for you to cut?
Dearica Hamby, Los Angeles Sparks, F: Hamby's statistic warrant beardown information -- she's averaging 16.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.9 steals -- and she has been an All-Star 3 times previously. However, the Sparks' struggles this play haven't helped. And aft picking the mandatory 5 frontcourt players for the reserves, we opted to spell with 7 guards. Had we gone with six and six, Hamby would person been the adjacent guardant selected. -- Voepel
Alanna Smith, Minnesota Lynx, C: Smith's per-game stats (10.8 points, 5.6 rebounds) don't leap disconnected the page, but she's 2nd successful the WNBA successful blocks per crippled (2.5) and hyperefficient erstwhile you origin successful making 1.3 3-pointers per crippled astatine a 36% clip. Her 60% effectual tract extremity percent -- which counts 3s arsenic 1.5 tract goals to bespeak their added worth -- is 3rd among players who person played astatine slightest 250 minutes. And Minnesota's league-leading commencement surely merits a 3rd All-Star. -- Pelton
Sonia Citron, Washington Mystics, G: Citron has had a breakout rookie play and astatine 1 constituent was starring our Rookie of the Year conversation. Averaging 15.1 points per crippled and shooting 47%, Citron has been important to the Mystics outperforming their preseason projections. Ultimately, we didn't judge Washington would get 2 All-Stars and opted to see Sykes instead. But Citron was precocious successful our speech astir the guards. -- Andrews
Jonquel Jones, New York Liberty, C: Jones, the 2024 Finals MVP, wasn't a last chopped similar the aforementioned players -- she has been constricted to 9 games due to the fact that of an ankle sprain and, aft aggravating the wounded during the Liberty's June 19 contention versus Phoenix, was ruled retired for 4 to six weeks. But anterior to getting hurt, Jones was connected way to being named an All-Star, averaging 12.1 points and 9.6 rebounds portion hitting 43.8% of her 3s. Her lack has lone reinforced however important she is to the Liberty's success, arsenic they are 8-1 successful games successful which she has appeared and 3-4 otherwise. Injuries are a portion of the game, but it's understandable Jones would beryllium "pissed" her ankle issues derailed what was apt yet different All-Star bid. -- Philippou
Is determination a reserve you would person picked arsenic an All-Star starter?
Skylar Diggins, Seattle Storm, G: Diggins was the lone subordinate we projected past week arsenic a starter who didn't really get that distinction. Dallas rookie Paige Bueckers ended up with the different starting defender slot. That wasn't a atrocious choice, but Diggins' accumulation for the Storm has been exceptional: 18.9 points, 6.1 assists, 1.2 steals per game. Plus, she's shooting 41.8% from beyond the arc. -- Voepel
Alyssa Thomas, Phoenix Mercury, F: I voted for Thomas arsenic a starter due to the fact that portion the Mercury didn't wholly flounder during her five-game absence, she is inactive the subordinate who makes them spell and puts them successful the contender tier. In fact, portion Collier mightiness beryllium the MVP front-runner, Thomas belongs successful the MVP speech and could marque the contention absorbing if she and Phoenix physique disconnected the team's beardown June tally for a ascendant 2nd half. -- Philippou
