Angel Reese, Alyssa Thomas, Skylar Diggins headline WNBA All-Star reserves

Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas, Seattle Storm guard Skylar Diggins and Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese highlight the list of 2025 WNBA All-Star Game reserve selections announced Sunday.

The WNBA revealed the 12 reserve players, with the league’s 13 head coaches voting for three guards, five frontcourt players and four players at either position, regardless of conference.

Two Washington Mystics rookies — Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron — have been named to the All-Star Game, which is set for July 19. They will join Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers, who had previously been announced as an All-Star starter, as the rookies in the game. Three rookies mark the most to participate in the exhibition game since 2011.

Golden State Valkyries forward Kayla Thornton and Seattle Storm guard Gabby Williams were the two other first-year All-Star reserves named by the coaches Sunday.

The initial selection of the All-Star starters was conducted through a combination of voting by fans (50 percent), a national panel of media members (25 percent) and current WNBA players (25 percent).

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark and Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier will be the two team captains, having been the two lead vote-getters in the fan vote. Clark and Collier will select their teams, picking the starters first and then the reserves. Minnesota’s Cheryl Reeve will coach Team Clark, while the New York Liberty’s Sandy Brondello will coach Team Collier.

The full pool of 2025 WNBA All-Star players:

Starters:

Aliyah Boston (Indiana Fever)
Paige Bueckers (Dallas Wings)
Caitlin Clark (Indiana Fever)
Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx)
Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream)
Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty)
Nneka Ogwumike (Seattle Storm)
Satou Sabally (Phoenix Mercury)
Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty)
A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces)

Reserves:

Skylar Diggins (Seattle Storm)
Alyssa Thomas (Phoenix Mercury)
Angel Reese (Chicago Sky)
Sonia Citron (Washington Mystics)
Rhyne Howard (Atlanta Dream)
Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever)
Kelsey Plum (Los Angeles Sparks)
Courtney Williams (Minnesota Lynx)
Gabby Williams (Seattle Storm)
Jackie Young (Las Vegas Aces)
Kiki Iriafen (Washington Mystics)
Kayla Thornton (Golden State Valkyries)

Citron, Iriafen among three rookie first-timers

The Mystics entered April’s draft with two of the first five selections. A few months later, both of their picks have become All-Stars. Citron, the No. 3 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, has been a versatile contributor for Washington, ranking second in scoring (14.6 points per game), third in rebounding (4.9) and fifth in assists (2.0) per game among rookies.

Iriafen, the No. 4 pick, has already been among the league’s most effective rebounders, ranking fourth in the league in rebounds per game (8.3).

Storm, Fever are most represented

One of the most interesting questions heading into Sunday’s reveal was who, if anyone, would have more than three All-Star players. With Mitchell making the All-Star team for the third consecutive year, the Fever will be well represented at All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, and the Storm’s trio of Ogwumike, Diggins and Williams also reflects a stellar first half from Seattle.

Williams will be a first-time player in the game, having averaged career-highs in points (13.3) and assists (4.7), with Seattle 25 points better per 100 possessions with her on the court than with her off of it.

“(Being an All-Star) is not something that I have put pressure on myself to become,” Williams told The Athletic. “The fact I can still be myself and still be considered for an All-Star spot is huge.”

Said Storm coach Noelle Quinn: “An amazing human being, and I think the way that she’s playing speaks for itself.”

Although it appeared during the season’s first half that the Liberty could potentially have four All-Stars, they will have only two in the game. Star center Jonquel Jones would have almost definitely made the exhibition had she not been limited of late with an ankle injury — she’s played just nine games this season — while guard Natasha Cloud went through a lull in the season’s first half.

One of the biggest surprises was that the Dream did not receive three All-Stars. Howard joined Gray as Atlanta’s representatives, but center Brionna Jones was left off the roster.

Jones, Sykes are the biggest omissions

Jones not making the All-Star Game is frankly one of the biggest surprises in recent memory. The 6-feet-3 center has been among the best frontcourt players in the league this season, recording eight double-doubles in her first 18 games after having recorded just 12 career double-doubles in eight prior seasons before joining Atlanta.

Jones is tied for fifth in the league in HerHoopStats’ win-shares metric, bullying opponents on the inside. She is second in the WNBA in offensive rebounds and in the league’s top five in second-chance points per game. She’s scored in single-digits only three times this season as one of the most efficient bigs in the league.

A recent scoring surge by Thornton likely led to Jones being on the outside of the July competition, but it’s still surprising to see the three-time All-Star center not receive the nod for the fourth time.

Credit to the Mystics for getting two players in the All-Star Game, but the fact that veteran guard Brittney Sykes is not one of them is the other major shocker from this reveal. It wouldn’t have been entirely shocking had Sykes been named a starter, as she’s averaging career-highs in points (17.9) and assists (4.6) per game while remaining as one of the league’s best defenders. So much of Washington’s offense revolves around Sykes breaking down opponents off the dribble, and she’s thrived in first-year coach Sydney Johnson’s system.

Multiple Minnesota Lynx players made the All-Star team is not surprising, though it is notable that neither guard Kayla McBride nor Alanna Smith was chosen. McBride was one of the four starters picked by The Athletic’s Sabreena Merchant, while Smith has developed into a focal point for Minnesota on both ends. Guard Courtney Williams received the All-Star nod and will be in the game for the second time in her career, but the Lynx have the league’s best record and will have only two players represented in the game.

(Top photo of Angel Reese (left) and Alyssa Thomas (right): Rick Scuteri / Imagn Images)