As WNBA fans were voting for All-Star starters, the Atlanta Dream were ranked No. 4 in the league and at the top of the Eastern Conference, with four of their five core players averaging double figures this season.
Yet, when the league announced the 10 2026 WNBA All-Star Game starters on Thursday afternoon, not one player from the Dream roster is anywhere to be found.
Congratulations are in order for the players who were selected: Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell, Paige Bueckers, Jessica
Shepard, Olivia Miles, Natasha Howard, Gabby Williams, A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart.
Cat Ariail broke down this year’s starters and their individual achievements, along with how the voting was tallied. However, the question remains: Why was Atlanta the only team in the top seven of the standings without a starter?
Three of Atlanta’s five starters, Rhyne Howard, Allisha Gray and Angel Reese, were the first three players left out of their respective starting lineups.
The graphic below breaks down where each player finished in every voting category. Based on the weighted scores, it appears fan voting—which accounts for 50 percent of the total vote—may have been the difference in keeping the Dream stars from earning starting spots.
Here’s what Reese shared with ESPN about her teammates’ ommisssion:
Congrats to the ones that were nominated, they were well-deserved. But it’s a very big shocker to see that none of us were starters, especially where we are as a team in the league.
I’m sure we’re still going to be All-Stars. I have no doubt in my mind that we still will be, but I think it is important to note that none of us were starters on a team that has had so much success this year.
Reese also went on to say that she expected the disrespect toward herself, but was disappointed that Howard and Gray experienced the same outcome, explicating:
The reason why we’re where we are is because of those two. For us not to have anyone was just a slap in the face, but they’re not going to say anything. I am.
Dream head coach Karl Smesko also shared his thoughts on his players being left off the starting roster:
… It’s really disappointing… We had three players who were so close to making it, and I felt deserving of being starters by the merit of their play. Now, the voting is half the fans, and we didn’t get as much fan voting as we would like, and that kind of put us in a tough position to get anybody as a starter.
I fully expect them to make the [All-Star] team [as reserves].
Smesko also expressed his thoughts on adding another Dream player to the roster.
I do expect the coaches to put all three [Howard, Gray and Reese] in [as reserves] as a no-brainer, and I’m hoping that Jordin [Canada], because she deserves it. She’s had that kind of a season defensively, steals, assists, and kind of been our leader as a point guard. Hopefully, the coaches will see to it that she gets a nod as well.
Though they didn’t earn starting spots this year, the Dream still have a strong chance to send multiple players to Chicago as All-Star reserves and take part in the weekend’s festivities.
Their absence from the starting lineup should also serve as added motivation for Atlanta fans to make their voices heard in next year’s voting.
