WNBA All-Star voting results exposed a split rule on Saturday: voters still had to choose four guards and six forwards/centers, even though the league has used positionless voting for All-Pro selections since 2022. Rhyne Howard was left off one 2026 ballot after being listed as a guard.
Howard had led the Dream with 18.6 points per game, 3.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.5 steals. She was still classified as a guard in the league’s view, and that classification determined which ballot lane she fit into.
All-Star And All-Pro Diverge
The split is simple on paper and messy in practice. All-Pro selections do not force players into position buckets, but All-Star voting still does, so voters must separate candidates before any player, media or fan totals are combined.
Those totals are weighted 25 percent for players, 25 percent for media and 50 percent for fans. The top four guards and top six forwards/centers become starters, while the WNBA’s 15 coaches select the 12 reserves.
Howard’s Guard Slot
Howard’s case showed how the system can squeeze a player out even when the production is there. Before the two Dream games after the vote was submitted, she was averaging 18.1 points, 3.2 assists and 2.6 steals while making 3.2 3-point attempts per game.
That kind of line still runs into a ballot built around position labels. In one writeup on the voting, Annie said, “If it seems like a non-issue, you try it!” and added, “Don’t get me started on whether the league properly categorizes players either.”
Frontcourt Choices Tighten
The frontcourt side was crowded too. Annie said, “That combination of scoring volume and elite perimeter defense got her the last guard nod,” and also wrote, “it sucked to leave out Bueckers and Sonia Citron, who are no-brainer All-Stars.”
On that ballot, Jonquel Jones was described as a relatively easy frontcourt inclusion because of scoring efficiency, rebounding and rim protection. Natasha Mack was called the hardest decision on the ballot, with the Mercury plus-2.2 with her on the floor, while Alyssa Thomas did not have a positive net rating for the Mercury.
The coaches’ part of the process now becomes the next filter, but they cannot vote for their own players. Howard’s situation leaves the same basic question hanging over the pool: a position rule can still move a productive player off one list before the voting math is even finished.
