There was an awkward moment during the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game that saw reigning league MVP A’ja Wilson block Angel Reese-accidentally.
Reese went for a lay-up, and without leaving her feet, Wilson rejected Reese by simply having her arms vertical. After realizing what happened, Wilson then covered her mouth aghast and the two shared a playful exchange.
Wilson even apologized for accidentally blocking the shot after the exhibition.
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“Angel was not supposed to do that. I was trying to get out of the way. I do not like trying to block shots during All-Star games, because what am I doing? I’ve never had that happen to me and I’m so sorry,” she said.
And while it was all in good fun and of course harmless, it’s not exactly a glowing commentary for the effort put forth by the All-Stars if Wilson is actively attempting to avoid blocking shots.
This sentiment was not isolated to that moment either. Caitlin Clark, who came out firing, scoring 11 points in the first 3 minutes of action, made a bit of plea before halftime for everyone to play harder.
“These fans pay a lot of money to get in the door. Let’s not just walk around. We don’t need to go 100%. But let’s pick it up and have some fun for them.”
There were 19,783 fans in attendance, a new WNBA All-Star Game record, so Clark has a point. Regardless, the Indiana Fever superstar ended an eventful weekend on the winning side. Jonquel Jones of the New York Liberty took home MVP honors as Team Spoon (Teresa Weatherspoon) coached by Cheryl Reeve secured the victory.
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The WNBA is certainly not alone when it comes to criticism for effort in All-Star games, and given teams played Wednesday and will be back and some will be back at it as soon as Tuesday, it wasn’t much of a break. Still, the product on the floor could have been better.
News Was Made Before the All-Star Game
There likely won’t be a clamoring for a replay of what happened afterward, but prior to the contest WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced that the league would be launching a centralized replay center in an effort to improve officiating, competitive integrity, and the overall game experience.
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The league’s officiating has been a sore spot for years, so that was welcome news.
It was also noteworthy that when Engelbert was asked directly if she thought she would still be the commissioner in 2027, when the replay center is scheduled to open, she did not answer yes or no, instead praising the growth of the league.
Hopefully the replay center works as planned, and next year’s All-Star Game is more competitive. But even if both things indeed happen, one has to wonder if it will be under the stewardship of a new commissioner.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/onsi/womens-fastbreak as A’ja Wilson’s Accidental Block of Angel Reese Says it All About WNBA All-Star Game.
