Seven notable WNBA All-Star Game snubs for 2026

The WNBA announced its 2026 All-Star reserves on Tuesday night. The All-Star weekend heads to Chicago in late July 2026, but seven players who looked like locks for the squad didn’t make it.

Start with Phoenix Mercury: Kahleah Copper didn’t make the 2026 All-Star Game roster, and her teammate Alyssa Thomas also missed out. The Mercury duo’s absence stands out given how central the team is to the league right now.

The snubs don’t stop there. Washington Mystics forward Shakira Austin was left off. Connecticut Sun’s Aneesah Morrow didn’t make it, and neither did Carla Leite of the Portland Fire. Chicago Sky center Kamilla Cardoso came up empty, as did Golden State Valkyries forward Janelle Salaün.

Here’s what really stings: the league’s assists leader didn’t make the 2026 All-Star roster. That’s a head-scratcher. It raises real questions about how the WNBA picks its All-Stars—and whether pure statistics still matter as much as they once did.