WNBA All-Star starters confirmed with Angel Reese absent as Caitlin Clark leads the way
The 2025 WNBA All-Star Game starters have been revealed, with Caitlin Clark leading the way, though there is one notable omission in the shape of Angel Reese
Caitlin Clark was announced as an All-Star starter while Angel Reese was not(Image: Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The starting lineup for the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game has been announced, with Caitlin Clark leading the pack, but Angel Reese is noticeably absent.
Despite dealing with various injuries this season, Clark was the top vote-getter for the exhibition game, which will be held in Indianapolis. The Indiana Fever star will also have the responsibility of picking her team for the game, a task that could potentially cause friction with her fellow players.
It was revealed that Clark had offered advice to Reese during last year’s All-Star Game. However, despite her impressive performance this season and in recent games, the Chicago Sky star was not selected as an All-Star starter.
The ten players chosen as starters include Clark, Paige Bueckers, Sabrina Ionescu, Allisha Gray, Napheesa Collier, A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Aliyah Boston, Nneka Ogwumike, and Satou Sabally. Collier, who received the second-highest number of votes totaling 1,176,020, will serve as the other captain, while Clark led the voting with 1,293,526 votes.
The selection process for the starters involved fans contributing 50 percent of the vote, while current WNBA players and media each accounted for 25 percent. Players were then ranked by position, and each player’s score was calculated by averaging the weighted rank from the three total pools.
The four guards and six frontcourt players with the highest scores were named as starters. Interestingly, Clark was ranked ninth in the player rank, with Gray taking the No.1 spot.
Despite being overlooked for the All-Star selection, Reese kept proving her mettle on the court. Before the Sky clinched a 92-85 victory against the Sparks on Sunday, LA’s coach Lynne Roberts didn’t hold back in her admiration for Reese and the hassle she poses for rival squads.
“Angel Reese is unbelievable on the rebounds, and you can talk about it and you can watch it and you can drill it,” Roberts gushed to the press prior to tip-off. “There’s no way to duplicate it to prepare. She’s just elite, and, you know, her motor is so high, and I have a lot of respect for her as a competitor.”
Despite her play as of late, Chicago Sky star Angel Reese was not selected as an All-Star starter this season(Image: Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
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Roberts went on to compliment the player’s drive: “You know, that’s just desire. She knows how to do it, and she’s super physical, and so what’s the game plan? Try not to let her get as many [rebounds] as she did last time. You have to meet her early. You have to make the first hit. I think that’s the big thing.
“You know, you can’t just turn and feel like, ‘Oh, I have position, so therefore I can get it,’ because she’ll beat you to it.”
Against the Sparks, Reese truly walked the talk, showing off her top-tier engine in a record-setting display against Los Angeles. Reveling in the triumph, the 23 year old sensation attributed her success to hard graft, with supporters witnessing the fruits of her relentless dedication.
“Yeah, I’m just trusting my work. I mean, I put my head down every day and just grind. And that’s all I do. I don’t do it for cameras. I don’t do it for publicity,” Reese stated after the game.
“I don’t post me in the gym. And I’m not going to. Like I put my head down every day at work. I’m very versatile in what I do on and off the court. And I prioritize when I’m at work.
“When I’m at work, it’s time for work. And I come here every day and try to do everything for my teammates and whatever comes up about it … And just continue to be something that I know that I can just be better every day. And just continue to be great.”
