Gabby Williams Becomes Golden State Valkyries' First All-Star Starter Among WNBA's Elite

Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson are each named to their eighth All-Star teams, tying for the most All-Star selections among starters.
Olivia Miles becomes the fourth straight rookie to start an All-Star game, helping Minnesota to a league-best 15-4 record and ranking among rookies in scoring (18.7 ppg) and assists (5.7 apg).
Jessica Shepard and Gabby Williams are both named as first-time All-Star starters.
Aliyah Boston led all players in All-Star votes with 683,996, while Caitlin Clark had 670,510 and A’ja Wilson 659,057, highlighting the star power behind the selections.
All-Star Weekend is set for Chicago on July 24-25, with the 3-Point Contest at Wintrust Arena on Friday and the All-Star Game at the United Center on Saturday.
The 2026 WNBA All-Star starters are set, and the Indiana Fever are sending three players to Chicago's United Center on July 25. Aliyah Boston, Caitlin Clark, and Kelsey Mitchell will all start, according to ESPN — the most starters from any single team. Boston led all players in votes with 683,996, Clark drew 670,510, and A'ja Wilson came in third with 659,057.
The game is part of All-Star Weekend, which opens July 24 at Wintrust Arena with a 3-Point Contest and Skills Challenge before the main event Saturday, per ESPN. Coaches will pick 12 reserves to fill out the rosters after the 10 starters were locked in.
The Fever's three-starter haul is a first for the franchise, according to Field Level Media. Boston and Clark are household names at this point. But Mitchell is starting in an All-Star Game for the first time in her career. The trio gives Indiana the loudest voice in the building before a single tip-off.
Clark is dealing with a back injury that could affect her availability for the game, ESPN noted. If she can't go, the Fever would be down their second-highest vote-getter. The league has not yet confirmed whether she will play.
Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles will start as a rookie — the fourth straight season a first-year player has earned that honor. Miles is averaging 18.7 points and 5.7 assists per game. She has helped push the Lynx to a league-best 15-4 record. Her start is the least surprising thing about her season so far.
The Lynx and Dallas Wings each contributed two starters to the game, per ESPN. Minnesota's strong showing reflects how deep the team has become. Wings starters were not isolated picks — they signal that Dallas is building real star power too.
Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson each earned their eighth All-Star nod, tying for the most All-Star selections among all starters. Wilson's 659,057 fan votes put her just behind Clark in the overall tally. Both players have been fixtures in this game for nearly a decade.
Gabby Williams of the Golden State Valkyries also made history. She was named the franchise's first-ever All-Star starter, according to Yahoo Sports. Williams called it a personal milestone, saying, "I feel whole." Jessica Shepard was also named a first-time All-Star starter, rounding out a class with several fresh faces.
The voting formula split the final score three ways: 50% fan votes, 25% player votes, and 25% media votes, per The Spun. Players were ranked by position. The top four guards and top six frontcourt players earned starts. If two players tied, fan votes alone broke the tie.
That structure rewards broad popularity and peer respect at the same time. Boston topping all players in votes shows just how widely recognized she has become. The All-Star Game tips off July 25 at the United Center in Chicago, with reserves still to be named by the coaches.
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