Despite media saturation and endorsement deals, Angel Reese fails to crack the Top 10 in fan voting—while Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham, and overlooked rookies soar past her in a stunning rejection of style over substance.
It was supposed to be her moment.
Angel Reese, the self-proclaimed “face of the WNBA,” entered the 2025 season with a media machine behind her, a brand larger than her box score, and a reputation built as much on headlines as on hardwood performance. But when the WNBA All-Star voting results dropped this week, that carefully constructed image collided headfirst with a brutal dose of reality: Reese didn’t even make the Top 10.
Instead, it was Indiana’s Caitlin Clark who dominated the ballot—earning more than 516,000 votes and becoming the league’s clear fan favorite. Even rookie standouts like Kiki Iriafen and veterans like A’ja Wilson surged past Reese in votes, leaving her in a distant 13th place. For a player with more commercials than consistent jump shots, it was the reckoning fans say has been a long time coming.
From Media Darling to Fan Rejection
For the past two years, fans have watched as Angel Reese appeared everywhere: magazine covers, late-night interviews, podcasts, and even as the face of high-profile ad campaigns. The media hailed her as the engine behind the WNBA’s rising popularity. Forbes ran features declaring her the league’s “cultural catalyst.” Some TV analysts even went so far as to claim that Reese—more than Caitlin Clark—was the reason women’s basketball was growing.
But in gymnasiums and living rooms across the country, actual fans saw something else: missed layups, a sub-31% field goal percentage, and a player who seemed more concerned with being viral than being valuable on the court.
“Angel Reese is everywhere,” one fan posted online, “except the box score.”
And in this league, stats matter.
Fans Know the Game—and They Voted That Way
The WNBA All-Star vote is split 50% fans, 25% players, and 25% media. That means fans have the loudest voice—and they used it.
Reese’s 173,000 votes weren’t even close to Clark’s total. But perhaps more damning was who beat her. Kiki Iriafen, a rookie who’s been quietly averaging a double-double with efficient scoring, pulled in over 213,000 votes. Lexie Hull, a low-key contributor with no media machine behind her, passed Reese too. Even players with far smaller social followings outpaced the self-anointed “Bayou Barbie.”
The message from fans was clear: charisma isn’t enough. You have to deliver.
Clark, meanwhile, didn’t ask for a crown—she earned it. She’s been the one breaking attendance records, hitting logo threes, and commanding national viewership without controversy or chest-pounding soundbites. She’s the only player in WNBA history to trend for her gameplay more than her press conference quotes.
Reese’s Disconnect: Persona vs. Production
While Clark built a résumé, Reese built a reputation. And the gap between the two is widening.
Her supporters point to her rebounding numbers, which are indeed impressive—she leads the league with 12 per game. But critics say many are “mebounds”—grabs off her own misses. More telling, perhaps, is that she’s shooting just 30.9% from the field as a post player, a position traditionally known for high-efficiency scoring.
Even her so-called “moment” against Caitlin Clark’s Fever—when Clark sat out—ended in disaster. Reese managed just four points. For a player marketed as the league’s centerpiece, that simply wasn’t good enough.
“She’s got hustle, sure,” said one analyst. “But the league doesn’t vote for hustle. It votes for impact.”
The Limits of Manufactured Stardom
Reese’s fall from All-Star grace signals something bigger: fans are rejecting manufactured stardom. They’re no longer satisfied with narratives pushed by media companies and sponsorship deals. They want proof—on the court.
And when that proof wasn’t there, they turned away.
Some insiders still believe Reese will make the All-Star team via media or player votes. But even if she does, the damage is done. Her status as the league’s fan favorite has been thoroughly debunked.
The WNBA has long wanted to elevate its stars. But as this vote shows, fans are the final editors of that story. And in 2025, they’re choosing game over gimmick, consistency over clout.
Caitlin Clark is redefining what it means to be a star. Angel Reese, for now, is being reminded that in this league, no amount of noise can drown out the silence that comes when fans stop cheering.
Angel Reese may still lead Instagram. But Caitlin Clark is leading the W.
News
My mom lost her temper and sent my 8-year-old out after a day of tough chores and cruel teasing. My daughter disappeared for hours. Later, my sister called, confused: “I haven’t seen her all day.” I wasn’t home. I filed an emergency report. When they found her and brought me to her, I couldn’t move.
I never thought I would be the type of person to sue my own mother. I was raised in a…
I gave my daughter a country house. When I got there, she was crying her husband’s family had just moved in! They made her work like crazy and treated her badly. 5 minutes later they were all outside and I said just 3 words before closing the gate.
When I arrived at the acreage that Saturday morning, guiding my old sedan down the gravel path, a knot of…
My son was walking down the street when he saw me begging for money. I was hungry, wearing old clothes, and covered in bruises. “Dad, what are you doing? You get a pension of $10,000 a month.” I replied, “My son-in-law takes everything; he’s stronger than me!” He put me in his car and drove me home. When my son saw my son-in-law, he took off his jacket… and did something that made him…
My name is George Whitman, and for most of my life I was the kind of man who paid his…
She laughed while the water dripped from my hair onto the hospital floor. ‘Kneel and apologize,’ she said, holding her phone up to record me. Everyone watched. No one helped. I could’ve told her who my husband was. I didn’t. Because what she did next sealed her fate—and she had no idea her world was about to collapse.
Vanessa Pierce didn’t just throw the water. She *aimed* it. The glass left her hand with a casual flick—like tossing…
At 15, I was kicked out in a storm because of a lie my sister told. My dad yelled, “Get out of my house. I do not need a sick daughter.” I just walked away. Three hours later, the police called. Dad turned pale when…
“Can you imagine these words?” Those were the last syllables my father wasted on me before he shoved me into…
The mountain path above Aspen was narrow, a ribbon of pale stone stitched into the side of the world. On one side, a wall of granite rose like a shut door. On the other, the earth fell away into spruce and shadow, the kind of drop that doesn’t look real until you stand close enough to feel your stomach tilt.
We’d picked this hike because it was supposed to be safe. “Moderate,” the brochure said, and the concierge at the…
End of content
No more pages to load
