There’s never been a better time to be young in the WNBA. College basketball has exploded, the game itself has evolved, and today’s rookies arrive sharper, stronger, and more prepared. It’s seen in the level of impact the youngsters are having in their respective teams today. 

Caitlin Clark practically took over the league in her rookie season, finishing with the highest number of assists and 3-pointers while leading the Indiana Fever to its first playoff appearance since 2016.  Aliyah Boston was a part of that success as she was the No.1 Draft pick the year before and became a force in the paint for Christie Sides. We saw how the Chicago Sky crumbled without their sophomore Angel Reese in the lineup. They had their worst points tally in the last 14 years.

Paige Bueckers is the cornerstone of the Dallas Wings, immediately after leading UConn to national championship success. She went from being among the big dogs to grasping for wins at a team struggling to remain afloat. Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen teamed and decided that the Washington Mystics are skipping the rebuild and moving to results.  

Already outperforming many of the league’s seasoned pros, Bueckers, Citron, and Iriafen have earned their place on the All-Star stage. Their impact is undeniable, not just on their teams but across the WNBA. As they join the ranks of standout rookies before them, let’s take a look back at the first-year players who’ve left their mark on the All-Star Game over the years.

Paige Bueckers (2025)

After averaging 18.3 points, 5.4 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game, the UConn alumna is the lone first-year player starting for 2025 All-Star. She finished second among guards in fan voting and ranked in the top five in the media and player tallies. Her weighted score of 3.25 was the best among all backcourt players. 

“It means a lot,” Bueckers said. “I feel like I have a lot of people who go to bat for me. To have people who really know and understand the game respect what I do, that’s meaningful. I’m not sure how the voting worked exactly, but to do well across the board, it definitely means a lot.”

And well, that did not just come by. Leading up to the weekend, Bueckers led all rookies in scoring, assists, and steals, while listing fourth in rebounds and blocks. Needless to say, she is the cornerstone the Dallas Wings have rallied around for the season. 

Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen (2025)

Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen are making history and making it look effortless. The Washington Mystics’ rookie duo has become just the second pair of first-year teammates ever to earn WNBA All-Star selections, and the first since 1999. Across both the WNBA and NBA, such a feat has only occurred four times.

Citron has delivered a steady all-around impact, averaging 14.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game. Iriafen, meanwhile, has dominated the glass, pulling down 8.5 rebounds per game, ranking fifth in the league and best among all rookies. She’s also adding 11.9 points and 1.4 assists, establishing herself as a key interior presence. Yet, for Iriafen, the All-Star nod wasn’t something she saw coming. 

“I would’ve laughed at you,” she says. “Like, you’ve got to be crazy… not feeling confident in myself when coming in this level. So, to have this success early is definitely something that I am proud of myself for overcoming. Seeing myself now as an All-Star, it doesn’t even feel real coming out of my mouth. It’s a blessing. I couldn’t have done this without God.”

Both Citron and Iriafen will suit up as reserves in the All-Star Game, and their presence is no fluke. And like Paige, the two are already the foundation of their franchise. 

Caitlin Clark (2024)

Caitlin Clark delivered a superhuman rookie campaign in 2024, powering the Indiana Fever to their first playoff berth since 2016 and falling just one vote shy of a unanimous Rookie of the Year sweep. She averaged 19.2 points, a league-leading 8.4 assists, 5.7 rebounds, 1.33 steals, and 35.4 minutes per game, leading all rookies in every major category except rebounding.

To speak numbers, her 337 assists broke the WNBA’s single-season record, and she set new rookie marks with 769 total points and 122 made three-pointers. She led the entire league in threes and finished just six short of the all-time record of 128 held by Sabrina Ionescu. 

And in the All-Star game, she set the record for most assists by a rookie with 10. One more and she would have tied Sue Bird for all-time All-Star assist record.

Angel Reese (2024)

If not for Caitlin Clark’s historic season, Angel Reese would have had a Rookie of the Year campaign in her own right. She dominated the glass with relentless energy every single night, enough for it to become synonymous with her gameplay. So her average of 13.1 rebounds, placed her right on the top, rookie or veteran.

Her All-Star nod, made her only the fourth Chicago Sky player to be named an All-Star as a rookie, joining Candice Dupree (2006), Courtney Vandersloot (2011), and Elena Delle Donne (2013). She went on to become one of the few rookies to record a double-double in her All-Star debut, posting 12 points and 11 rebounds. The double-double queen also broke Candace Parker’s record of most consecutive double-doubles with 15. 

Although the Sky ultimately missed the playoffs, it was Reese’s late-season injury that derailed their push. Her impact was undeniable, both as a player and as one of the league’s most magnetic new stars.

Aliyah Boston (2023)

Aliyah Boston wasn’t just the number one pick; she was the spark that ignited the Indiana Fever’s new era. From the moment she stepped on the floor, Boston made her presence felt. In her first 13 games, she averaged 15.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.5 blocks, across 29.4 minutes per game. She started every game and led the entire WNBA in field goal percentage, shooting a blistering 65.1 percent on 82-of-126 from the field.

And among her fellow first-year players, she led in points, rebounds, blocks, and minutes per game. By season’s end, she posted averages of 14.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.3 blocks in 31.2 minutes across 40 games. Her year ended with a unanimous Rookie of the Year award.

There was no adjustment period for Boston. From day one, she came in, played, and elevated the Fever’s identity.

Rhyne Howard (2022)

Rhyne Howard made an unforgettable entrance in her rookie season. She launched her career with authority, putting up 20.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists over her first four games, including a 33-point breakout against Indiana on May 15. It took her just five games to surpass 100 points, and she climbed to 135 by May 29, the sixth-most by any rookie in that timeframe.

Howard ended the season with averages of 16.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.6 steals across 31.3 minutes per game, starting all 34 contests. She topped all rookies in scoring, playmaking, defense, and floor time, and among all WNBA players, she finished 11th in points per game and tied for fifth in steals. Howard was the rookie ‘top dog’ before Caitlin Clark, as her 85 made threes not only ranked third in the league but also set a new WNBA rookie record at the time. 

Napheesa Collier (2019)

Napheesa Collier wasted no time announcing her arrival. She dropped 27 points in her WNBA debut against the Chicago Sky, the second-highest scoring debut in league history, trailing only Candace Parker. By the time she was named a 2019 All-Star, she was averaging 11.0 points on 44.2% shooting, 31.3% from three, along with 5.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.9 steals (third in the WNBA), and 1.0 blocks per game, a rare rookie producing on both ends with that level of consistency.

Collier finished her rookie season averaging 13.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.91 steals, and 0.94 blocks, while starting all 34 games and leading the league in playing time with 33.3 minutes per game. Among all rookies, she ranked first in steals, second in points, rebounds, and blocks, and third in assists, a complete two-way force.

Her all-around production placed her in elite company. Collier became just the fourth player in WNBA history to post at least 400 points, 200 rebounds, 75 assists, 50 steals, 25 blocks, and 25 threes in a season, joining legends Maya Moore, Tamika Catchings, and Sheryl Swoopes. That All-Star impact? She had it from day one, and she’s still showing it in 2025.

A’ja Wilson (2018)

A’ja Wilson entered a broken Las Vegas Aces side and made them competitors in her rookie season. She opened her WNBA career with a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double and never took her foot off the gas. 

The star center delivered one of the most dominant rookie seasons in WNBA history. She averaged 20.7 points per game, tied for third in the league, along with 8.0 rebounds and 1.67 blocks, both ranking sixth overall. Then, she became only the second rookie in league history to average at least 20 points per game, joining Seimone Augustus, who recorded 21.9 in 2006. Yeah, she was standing alongside the league’s very best.

Wilson’s dominance earned her all three WNBA Rookie of the Month honors, and she capped off the season as the unanimous Rookie of the Year, a clear signal that a new force had arrived in the league.

Chiney Ogwumike (2014)

Chiney Ogwumike was an all-star player before being an all-star broadcaster. In 2014 she made history by joining her sister Nneka on the WNBA All-Star roster, becoming the first siblings ever selected to the same All-Star Game. She averaged 15.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game for the Connecticut Sun, starting all 31 games of her rookie season.

As the pattern goes, Ogwumike, too, led all rookies in stats. This one in rebounds and double-doubles with 13, and ranked second in scoring, and third in steals with 1.2 per game. Her impact extended beyond, though. Ogwumike ranked second in the entire WNBA in offensive rebounds with 123, tied for second in double-doubles, seventh in total rebounding, and 11th in scoring leaguewide.

She was quick to set the tone for a standout rookie campaign.

Shoni Schimmel (2014)

Selected as the 8 overall pick in the 2014 WNBA Draft, Shoni Schimmel joined a seasoned Atlanta Dream team that had reached the WNBA Finals 3 times in 4 years. On paper, she was expected to ease into a supporting role behind experienced veterans. But right away, Schimmel made it clear she had other plans.

By the end of her rookie year, she ranked 15th in the league in assists per game with 3.6, 6 among rookies in scoring with 8.3 points per game, and 6 in the entire league in made three-pointers with 53. She also ranked 6th in assists per 40 minutes at 6.9. 

But beyond the stats, Schimmel brought something more. Head coach Michael Cooper repeatedly compared her to Magic Johnson, saying he welcomed the occasional risky pass if it meant unleashing her creativity. And that was rewarded soon enough. 

Schimmel exploded for a record 29 points in the WNBA All-Star Game and was named the game’s Most Valuable Player. It was just the introduction of her potential.

Brittney Griner (2013)

Brittney Griner arrived to make an immediate impact. She became the third player in WNBA history to dunk in a game and the first to do it twice in the same game. Her presence in the paint was unmatched as she averaged 3.0 blocks per game, leading all rookies and ranking among the league’s best.

Griner ended her rookie season with averages of 12.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks. She’d also quickly became one of the most talked-about players in the league, gaining widespread fan support. Early in the season, she held the top-selling jersey in the WNBA.“To be a rookie and for the fans to vote me in with the best players in the world — that’s just an unbelievable honor,” Griner said at the time. 

She was voted into the 2013 WNBA All-Star Game as a starter, one of just two rookies to earn that honor. Although a right knee injury kept her from playing, and she was replaced by Tina Thompson, Griner’s rookie year was a statement. 

Elena Delle Donne (2013)

Elena Delle Donne moved with purpose from the start. In 2013, she became the first rookie in WNBA history to lead All-Star voting. Named an Eastern Conference All-Star, she was forced to miss the game due to a concussion, but her impact overall was already undeniable.

Delle Donne played and started in 30 of the Chicago Sky’s 34 games, leading the team in scoring with 18.1 points per game. She set multiple franchise rookie records, including 54 blocks, 157 made free throws, and 543 total points, which ranked fifth in the entire league. She swept every Rookie of the Month award, earned unanimous selection to the All-Rookie Team, and was voted the 2013 WNBA Rookie of the Year by unanimous decision. 

These rookies have sure taken the standards to the next level . From Brittney Griner’s thunderous dunks to Shoni Schimmel’s record-setting MVP performance, from Elena Delle Donne’s historic fan support to Aliyah Boston’s instant dominance, the WNBA All-Star Game has become a proving ground for rookies with superstar ceilings.