The Women’s National Basketball Association has unveiled its starters for the 2026 All-Star Game, with few surprises among the 10 players selected for the showcase in Chicago on July 25.

The star-studded lineup features Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Olivia Miles, A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart among the headline names.

The Indiana Fever saw their highly acclaimed “big three” all earn starting spots, a reflection of the league’s voting system in which fan ballots account for 50 percent of the final result. The Minnesota Lynx and Dallas Wings also placed two players each in the starting lineup.

While the selections largely reflected expectations, the announcement has also reignited debate over players who narrowly missed out.

Among the biggest talking points is the omission of Rhyne Howard of the Atlanta Dream, who failed to secure a starting place despite another impressive campaign in what has become one of the league’s deepest collections of backcourt talent.

Howard’s exclusion has strengthened calls for the WNBA to reconsider its All-Star voting format. One proposal gaining traction suggests replacing the current positional structure with a more flexible system consisting of four guards, four frontcourt players and two “rover” positions that could be filled regardless of position.

Interestingly, the process used to select the 12 All-Star reserves already offers greater flexibility. Head coaches vote for three guards, five frontcourt players and four additional players from any position, with coaches prohibited from voting for members of their own teams.

Unlike many North American professional leagues, the WNBA All-Star selection process is not divided by conference, allowing the league’s best players to compete for places regardless of geographical alignment.

Attention will now turn to the announcement of the reserve selections, where several high-performing stars—including Howard—will hope to earn their place in the 2026 All-Star Game.