But there\u2019s always room for new names, and right now, these are the WNBA players with the best odds to make their first-ever appearances at 2026 All-Star Weekend<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n A post shared by Just Women\u2019s Sports (@justwomenssports)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n The 3-point shooting<\/a> from Marina Mabrey this season has been pretty close to evocative.<\/p>\n That was true even before she tied the single-game scoring record<\/a>, but her magnum opus further illustrates the point. Mabrey was pulling up from Ottawa against the Sparks, and it made no difference. It\u2019s been the same story all year. From a standstill, off movement, off the dribble \u2014 none of that\u2019s mattered. In 2026, the rule is easy to remember: If the ball leaves Marina Mabrey\u2019s hands, it\u2019s more than likely going in. A trip to Chicago is more than warranted.<\/p>\n Generally speaking, racking up triple-doubles<\/a> at a higher rate than anyone in the league is enough to earn a trip to the WNBA All-Star Weekend. And Jessica Shepard\u2019s done precisely that \u2014 in addition to maintaining stunning efficiency. <\/p>\n She\u2019s been a skeleton key for the Wings’ transition offense. A forward who can grab tough rebounds and immediately generate easy opportunities for Dallas with her vision, and her game in the half-court has been just as valuable. Shepard\u2019s equal parts elite connector and cost-effective offensive hub, and any player who can be described as both of those things is too good to be watching the festivities<\/a> from home.<\/p>\n It almost feels like cheating to include her, but barring some kind of supernatural event, Olivia Miles will make her first WNBA All-Star appearance in July. The obvious nature<\/a> of that statement may kill the excitement, but that doesn\u2019t make it any less true.<\/p>\n Miles has picked defenses apart with constant rim pressure as well as the vision to take advantage of any defensive misstep. And even if she wasn\u2019t in the midst of one of the best rookie seasons<\/a> in league history, her live-dribble creativity alone would make her a worthy addition to the weekend. Her skillset is simply designed for this kind of stage.<\/p>\n There\u2019s something about watching Carla Leite run a pick and roll that just puts you at ease. It\u2019s a pervasive comfort that\u2019s difficult to explain.<\/p>\n Portland\u2019s left-handed floor general<\/a> has an acute understanding of two of the most important and underrated aspects of the point guard position: angles and pace. Leite knows when to slow down and when to suddenly speed up, and she immediately capitalizes on any opening she creates by manipulating her tempo, whether it\u2019s a driving lane or a passing window. <\/p>\n Put that all together and it looks like a chess grandmaster stoically rearranging the board.<\/p>\n Last season Veronica Burton finished Top 10 in the MVP voting<\/a> but missed the 2025 WNBA All-Star game. And while there aren\u2019t precise stats to capture the novelty of that, it feels safe to assume it hasn\u2019t happened often.<\/p>\n Beyond righting a past wrong, Burton\u2019s foundational contributions to the Valkyries more than justify an All-Star selection this season. Her smothering defense<\/a> and elite ball control have been critical to Golden State\u2019s more methodical approach. And whenever they\u2019ve needed tough buckets in big moments, she\u2019s been there to generate them. Any player who contributes that significantly to winning basketball games deserves to be an All-Star.<\/p>\n It isn\u2019t easy to make the WNBA All-Star Game as a rookie. And when Dallas was easing her into her professional career<\/a>, it didn\u2019t look like Azzi Fudd was going to get the volume of opportunities required to pull it off. However, that\u2019s changed as of late.<\/p>\n Over the past few weeks, Fudd has put up multiple eye-popping stat lines<\/a>, and she\u2019s done it without making the usual rookie mistakes. She\u2019s a two-way weapon that\u2019s naturally fit into the Wings attack. And if she keeps producing like this, it\u2019s difficult to imagine a world where she isn\u2019t in the Windy City on July 25th.<\/p>\n There are two things working against Dominique Malonga. The first is the Storm being near the bottom of the WNBA standings<\/a>. While team performance doesn\u2019t directly affect anyone\u2019s eligibility, it can limit visibility. And the time she missed early in the season with a concussion won’t help either.<\/p>\n Nevertheless, when Malonga\u2019s been on the floor, she\u2019s looked like a harrowing vision of the future game. The 20-year-old has the fluidity, skill, and athleticism of an elite center<\/a>, and if she does make the game, she\u2019ll look right at home.<\/p>\n This year’s All-Star ballot will be overloaded with guards who\u2019ve put up wild numbers, and Jordin Canada<\/a> won\u2019t exactly be able to stand toe-to-toe with them in scoring. But as a pure point guard, there aren\u2019t many players sharper than Canada. <\/p>\n Atlanta\u2019s show-runner is the personification of possession control. She picks more pockets<\/a> than anyone outside of her backcourt partner, finds her teammates at an elite rate, and her assist to turnover ratio is the best in the league among starters. While her resume might not be eye-catching enough to get the nod, but she\u2019s earned it regardless.<\/p>\n \n The post Predicting the WNBA’s 1st-Time All-Stars<\/a> appeared first on Just Women's Sports<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n
Marina Mabrey: 53 Reasons (Toronto Tempo)<\/h2>\n
2026 WNBA Stats: 21.2PPG, 3.5 RPG, 3.6 APG, 45.9% FG, 40.3% 3PT<\/h4>\n
Confidence: 9\/10<\/h4>\n
Jessica Shepard: Completely Full Stat Sheets (Dallas Wings)<\/h2>\n
2026 WNBA Stats: 14.3 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 5.4 APG, 58.8% FG, 0.0% 3PT<\/h4>\n
Confidence: 9\/10<\/h4>\n
Olivia Miles: Historic Rookie Season (Minnesota Lynx)<\/h2>\n
2026 WNBA Stats: 18.7 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 5.7 APG, 51.9% FG, 32.8% 3PT<\/h4>\n
Confidence: 10\/10<\/h4>\n
Carla Leite: Playmaker Appreciation (Portland Fire)<\/h2>\n
2026 WNBA Stats: 15.1 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 5.7 APG, 43.5% FG, 41.0% 3PT<\/h4>\n
Confidence: 6\/10<\/h4>\n
Veronica Burton: Winning Matters (Golden State Valkyries)<\/h2>\n
2026 WNBA Stats: 12.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 5.4 APG, 38.2% FG, 33.8% 3PT<\/h4>\n
Confidence: 7\/10<\/h4>\n
Azzi Fudd: Midseason Momentum (Dallas Wings)<\/h2>\n
2026 WNBA Stats: 13.6 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 1.6 APG, 48.5% FG, 38.4% 3PT<\/h4>\n
Confidence: 7\/10<\/h4>\n
![\"Half](\"https:\/\/justwomenssports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/8-1-819x1024.png\")
<\/figure>\nDominique Malonga: Sheer Talent (Seattle Storm)<\/h2>\n
2026 WNBA Stats: 17.4 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.3 APG, 50.9% FG, 40.9% 3PT<\/h4>\n
Confidence: 6\/10<\/h4>\n
Jordin Canada: Nonstop Flawless Passing (Atlanta Dream)<\/h2>\n
2026 WNBA Stats: 11.5 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 7.0 APG, 46.6% FG, 34.0% 3PT<\/h4>\n
Confidence: 5\/10<\/h4>\n
Written in coordination with Half Past Noon<\/a>.<\/em><\/h4>\n