WNBA All-Star draft picks revealed! Paige goes first overall, teams up with Stewart; Clark joins A'ja

On July 16, Beijing time, the 2026 WNBA All-Star draft concluded today, with Hall of Famer Teresa Weatherspoon praising her team's competitive strength. She and fellow Hall of Famer Cynthia Cooper were invited to act as general managers, each assembling their All-Star squads.

Cooper, a two-time WNBA regular-season MVP, aimed a short taunt at her rival. During the live broadcast, she slyly said, "But can you score enough points?"

The All-Star Game itself will take place on July 26 at the United Center, home of the Chicago Bulls. The WNBA Skills Challenge and Three-Point Contest are scheduled for July 25 at Wintrust Arena, the home court of the Chicago Sky.

A coin flip decided the draft order, giving "Team Cooper" the first pick, which they used to select Paige Bueckers. The Dallas Wings star point guard received the most fan votes, and per the rules, she was assigned to the team that won the coin toss.

"Paige can do it all on both ends of the floor," Cooper said. "She can hit threes and score from long range, mid-range, and close range. But most importantly, she's a leader on the court who gets everyone involved in the offense."

Indiana Fever point guard Caitlin Clark ranked second in fan voting and was placed on "Team Weatherspoon."

Weatherspoon then had the first pick among the remaining starters, and she immediately chose four-time MVP A'ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces). The rest of Weatherspoon's starting lineup includes Olivia Miles (Minnesota Lynx), Aliyah Boston (Indiana Fever), and Jessica Shepard (Dallas Wings).

Reserve list: Rhyne Howard (Atlanta Dream), Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream), Jonquel Jones (New York Liberty), Courtney Williams (Minnesota Lynx), Kiki Iriafen (Washington Mystics), and Nneka Ogwumike (Los Angeles Sparks).

When it was "Team Cooper's" turn to select reserves, two-time MVP Breanna Stewart was Cooper's top choice. Cooper's starting lineup also features Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever), Natasha Howard (Minnesota Lynx), and Gabby Williams (Valkyries).

Among all reserves, two-time All-Star Angel Reese (Atlanta Dream) was picked first; other reserves on her team include Marina Mabrey (Chicago Sky), Domique Malonga (Seattle Storm), Kelsey Plum (Los Angeles Sparks), Jackie Young (Las Vegas Aces), and Sonya Citron (Washington Mystics).

Weatherspoon said she wanted to assemble a mix of playmakers, scorers, rebounders, and defenders. "The goal is to build a balanced team on both ends," she said.

Cooper's team-building approach was more direct: prioritize scorers first, then consider rebounders. She wants her team to play at a fast pace, constantly pushing the ball up and down the court, since All-Star games rarely feature half-court sets or frequent timeouts for drawn-up plays.

This year's All-Star roster includes only one rookie, Miles; three other players are first-time All-Stars: Shepard, Malonga, and Mabrey.

Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon will coach "Team Cooper," while Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve will lead "Team Weatherspoon."

The two teams will compete for a total prize of $100,000, which will be donated to two local Chicago charities that encourage girls to stay active in sports. The winning team's designated charity will receive $70,000.