Reese: Dream All-Star snub 'a slap in the face'
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- Angel Reese called it "a slap in the face" that no Atlanta Dream player was named an All-Star starter, saying she spoke up because teammates "don't necessarily speak for themselves."
- Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray finished fifth and sixth among guards in the weighted voting score, while Reese ranked seventh among frontcourt players.
- Howard was No. 2 among guards in player voting and No. 4 in media voting; Gray was No. 6 and No. 8, respectively, suggesting the fan-vote share (50% of the weighted score) dragged both down.
- Reese entered Thursday leading the league in rebounds at 11.6 per game and was one of just two players averaging a double-double, alongside starter Jessica Shepard.
- Howard ranked 12th in the league in scoring and, along with Jordin Canada, held the top two spots in steals per game; Gray and Reese ranked No. 9 and No. 10 in defensive win shares.
- The Dream (12-8) were tied for first in the East and fifth overall after a 81-76 loss at Washington, and Reese noted the Dream's success is built largely on Howard and Gray's production.
Why it matters: Reese's comments spotlight a structural tension in the All-Star voting formula: Howard was No. 2 among peers (players) and No. 4 with media, yet still missed the cut — a sign the 50% fan-vote weight is shaping outcomes in ways peers and beat writers don't endorse. The Dream, 3½ games off the league's best record, now have a vocal star publicly framing the omission as disrespect rather than a metrics dispute.
