Every WNBA player who just became an All-Star for the first time

The WNBA is turning into a nationwide and worldwide sensation for numerous reasons but the attention on rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese has been a catalyst. And both players will be bringing even more recognition and attention with the 2024 WNBA All-Star game. Both Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese were selected for the 2024 WNBA All-Star roster as rookies.

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have taken the league by storm

Even before entering the WNBA, Clark and Reese were among the hottest topics in the sports world. In their junior seasons, Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes and Reese’s LSU Tigers met in the National Championship. Both of their performances were huge and that only continued in the rematch game in the Final Four matchup.

The two players continued to be front and center when Clark was drafted first overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft by the Indiana Fever and Reese sixth to the Chicago Sky. The Fever and the Sky were originally two of the worst teams before and early in the season, but entering July, both teams are projected to make the postseason. This is due to the production of both players.

Clark is averaging 16 points per game, 17th in the league. She is shooting 39.1 percent from the field but has had to take the bulk of her team’s shots due to a lack of production early in the season. What has made her one of the biggest young stars in the league is her ability to set up shots for other players. She averages 7.1 assists per game, which is third in the league. Clark is also averaging 1.3 steals per game. 

While Clark is fast and explosive, Reese wins with power and tenacity player. She is a player who attacks the basket with force. She is also able to secure her own missed shot for an offensive rebound for a second chance opportunity. Through 19 games played, Reese is averaging 13.9 points per game, shooting 41 percent. Her rebounding has made her one of the best players in the league on both ends. Her 11.7 rebounds per game is ranked first in the league. Reese is also averaging 1.4 steals per game, which is a mark better than Clark.

Noticeable omissions from their first All-Star Game

The future of the WNBA is in good hands with the stellar rookie class that has arrived. There are other players in this draft class, besides just Clark and Reese, who are going to make a serious boost to the league’s success and will eventually get their first WNBA All-Star appearance.

One player who will get their first All-Star Game appearance sooner rather than later is Los Angeles Sparks center Cameron Brink. She was the second overall pick behind Clark in this year’s draft. Brink suffered a torn ACL and is done for the season but in the 15 games played, Brink was a two-way force in the paint. She averaged 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 2.3 blocks per game.

Brink’s teammate, forward Rickea Jackson, is another player who should receive an All-Star selection at some point in their career. Jackson is a dynamic playmaker for the Sparks who is averaging 10.4 points per game shooting 45.1 percent. Washington Mystics forward Aaliyah Edwards averages 8.5 points and 6.2 rebounds. She was just one pick behind Reese at number seven. When the Mystics get more talent on their team, Edwards will receive more attention.