CHICAGO -- A'ja Wilson strutted on the orange carpet wearing a black gown with a netted skirt and black opera gloves. Paige Bueckers sported a sleeveless top, baggy pants, a Louis Vuitton tie and a pair of white Air Force 1s. Rookie Olivia Miles rocked an oversized double-breasted black suit with accessories from Prada and Cartier to mark the official start of 2026 WNBA All-Star Weekend on Thursday night at McCormick Place near Chicago's renowned lakefront.
Twelve miles north, at Whiskey Girl Tavern, Jaye Williams prepared for one of the weekend's first fan parties. Dressed in jeans and a Chicago Sky jersey with a striped button-down pulled over her shoulders, the Sky season-ticket holder set out bingo sheets and raffle prizes on a folding table. An Allie Quigley Sky jersey hung behind the bar, one of the first in the country to emphasize women's sports, right next to Whiskey Girl Tavern's custom All-Star Weekend T-shirt. Vinyl All-Star Weekend stickers decorated the windows outside.
DJ Mary Mac, wearing a retro New York Liberty jersey, set up her rig on a platform at the front of the large room. Straight outta New York, she took her perch overlooking pool tables and dart boards as the Women's Baseball World Cup played on one of the TVs and patrons gossiped about WNBA couples they thought were -- and were not -- still together.
As the WNBA, its fans and players prepared for the biggest All-Star Weekend in league history, celebration and excitement bubbled through the city, a drastic change from the recent climate in the league.
Controversy has accompanied the WNBA's 30th season like clockwork, and most of it isn't about the actual game. Instead of debating Xs and Os, fans and media litigate the role of race in Alyssa Thomas fouling Caitlin Clark and Thomas' subsequent suspension. Instead of basking in the league's new collective bargaining agreement and new opportunities for players, the discourse centers on how racial identity and beauty conventions could have catapulted reserve Sophie Cunningham into viral fame. Players have been targeted by hate and threatened online. Many have questioned what the league is doing to protect them.
Bingo cards in place and the tables set for celebration, Williams heaved a sigh as she clasped her Chicago Sky necklace made by a fellow season-ticket holder.
"I'm really political, but politics has killed my hobby," she said. "It was so exciting, and then they got paid, and then they got more. It was building so much great momentum. And then our bubble popped."
For three days in Chicago, joy and hope returned. The StudBudz partied and streamed. Fans interacted with players. The All-Stars put on a basketball show. But still, one question hung in the air like a Kelsey Mitchell rainbow 3-pointer: Can it last?
IN THE MONTH leading up to the All-Star break, fire after fire raged around the league. It started with a point. In a June 22 game between the Indiana Fever and the Phoenix Mercury, Cunningham and DeWanna Bonner extended their fingers at one another. Cunningham held her outstretched arm for 22 seconds in what would become a viral meme. The moment was quickly politicized. Even the White House account on X jumped in on the action.
In a Fever-Mercury rematch two days later, Clark drove into the lane and lost her footing, falling to the hardwood and losing the ball. Thomas dove for the ball and, as she got up, pushed her closed fist against Clark's throat. No foul was called, but social media replayed video of the incident on a loop. The still image of Thomas' fist on Clark's neck was everywhere. And so was the outrage. And the think pieces. And then the pushback for the outrage. The blowup wasn't just about a missed call. The coverage and the interest were unmistakably racialized.
The next day, the WNBA assessed a flagrant foul 2 against Thomas and issued a one-game suspension, which she served on June 27. Thomas said she received death threats after the play went viral.
"It's unfortunate that it's come to this over basketball," Thomas said on June 30. "A lot of us -- myself included -- didn't even know the play took place until after the game. Now we're being painted as thugs. There's death threats out on us. It's really unacceptable. It's something that needs to change in this league, and I'm just really sick and tired of it."
On July 3, Clark told reporters that she did think it was a flagrant foul and that the officiating in the WNBA needed to "get better," while acknowledging the difficulty of the job. She condemned the harassment and hate that players and coaches received and said it was time to move on.
"I turned on the TV on Sunday and that game was on Wednesday, and that's all people are still talking about," Clark said. "And I feel like that's a real disservice to our league. And I get it, you have to talk about it, but to continue to beat down and beat down, and for the narrative to be taken other places that I think is just not acceptable, it's hard to see. It's a disservice to my team, but it's also a disservice to the other teams in this league and other players in this league."
The fallout continued. On July 8, congressional representatives wrote a letter to WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert saying, in part, that Clark was receiving "unnecessary physical hostility and violence," and demanded the league take accountability for creating a safe workplace.
It didn't end there.
After the Aces played the Fever on July 12, guard Chelsea Gray posted a screenshot of a racist comment she received on social media. Fans, including Fever fans, reported the man who made the comment to his employer. He was fired.
Sports Business Journal reported on July 15 that NBA commissioner Adam Silver had directed Engelbert to suspend Thomas. A WNBA spokesperson called the report "absolutely false." During an interview at Fanatics Fest on July 16, Silver declined to clarify. "I'm not going to comment on that all -- because I don't think it's fair to Caitlin, and to Cathy Engelbert either," he said. "I think that that's not the real issue here... Obviously, the league decided after the fact that not only should -- a foul should have been called, but it was a flagrant foul. Yes, we need to improve WNBA officiating, and there's lots to work -- work to do on NBA officiating as well. But I really think this is an opportunity to support Caitlin and say, let her be the best basketball player she can be."
Then during a game on July 17, Toronto Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello complained to a referee that Atlanta Dream star Angel Reese is a "protected species." Reese posted the comment on X with the caption "Are we surprised?!" She added a clown emoji and tagged Brondello. The use of the word "species" in an American racial context can be seen as dehumanizing language when directed toward a Black person like Reese. Brondello, an Australian, apologized to Reese publicly for using the phrase, which, Brondello explained, is used in Australian sports to communicate that an athlete is receiving preferential treatment from referees. She was suspended for one game without pay.
Cunningham sparked another flame when she voiced support for barring transgender girls and women from girls' and women's sports in an ESPN article published on July 21.
"I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I'm like, 'I never once said that,'" Cunningham told ESPN. "I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest. And I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn't have to go against biological men."
When asked about her comments the following day, Cunningham doubled down. "I said what I said," she told reporters.
Though she received some criticism on social media, Cunningham also received support from organizations, individuals and politicians who share her view. (She even sold out her exclusive Adidas colorway in under an hour on July 24.) The Department of Education supported her with a pointing meme. White House press secretary Karoline Levitt said, "the backlash [Cunningham] is receiving from Democrats and Left-wing figures across the country is astonishing."
Aces forward and former Fever player Brianna Turner took to X last Wednesday and said transgender athletes have caused "zero problems" in her career and pointed to an issue that she said has caused problems. She said her former organization fired a staff member for sexual harassment and told the players not to discuss it.
The Fever released a statement the next day. "Protecting our players and employees and maintaining a respectful, professional workplace is our top priority," the team said. "Our policy is to take concerns seriously, investigate thoroughly, and act promptly when appropriate to protect the people in our organization and ensure everyone is treated with professionalism and respect. Fostering trust and safety in that process means we do not comment on personnel matters involving former employees."
All that brought us to Friday morning, when All-Stars sat at individual tables lining the walls of a meeting room on the second floor of Home Court at the Obama Presidential Center. Media members formed a horseshoe around each player, lobbing questions about the season and the weekend.
Aliyah Boston, wearing a black shirt and gold hoop earrings, said she was determined to have a positive weekend in Chicago. She said she planned to "go outside a little bit" and have fun with her teammates. The night before, she playfully danced at a nightclub with multiple members of the Fever.
"I try to pour my energy into things that deserve it, and that's my teammates, that's my coaches, that's the organization," Boston said. "Everyone is always going to have a thought and you can't really focus on that."
Clark, the busiest of anyone at media day, rolled up the sleeves of her warmup shirt and shared her own coping mechanism.
"I think sometimes in our world, we all go on social media and we go on the internet and we think that's based in reality," Clark said. "Don't get me wrong, some of it is. But some of it's not. I always try to remind myself that when you show up to the arena, those are the people who care about the game. Those aren't the people on the internet writing horrible things about people. There's also a lot of really good people out there."
THE PLAYERS DIDN'T know he was coming. On Friday morning, a representative from the Obama Presidential Center stood in front of them and detailed the history and programming at the newly opened center. She kept explaining and explaining and talking and talking. The players grew more and more distracted, looking around, whispering to each other. All at once, they perked up and clapped at the sight of a figure walking onto the court.
It was Barack Obama.
"I see you A'ja Wilson," he said, shouting out the four-time WNBA MVP. He congratulated Marina Mabrey on her 53-point game, and told Bueckers he was happy she was shooting the ball more. He complimented Miles. When Liberty forward Jonquel Jones dribbled a ball near Obama as he spoke with Women's National Basketball Players Association president Nneka Ogwumike, Obama took the opportunity to D-up Jones. With the sleeves of his white dress shirt rolled up and the top couple buttons undone, Obama sank surprisingly low in his jeans and playfully tried to poke the ball away from Jones.
"He was playing good D," Jones told reporters after practice. "But I also went out last night, so I'm not at my best."
It was a relaxed moment between the players and one of their most high-profile fans. But that didn't mean it was devoid of politics. With the WNBA, it never is.
In 2020, the Atlanta Dream, backed by the players' union executive committee, openly campaigned for Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock in his campaign against Republican Kelly Loeffler, then a co-owner of the Dream. After Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier criticized Engelbert's leadership in her 2025 end-of-season exit interview, Collier made a public appearance with former vice president Kamala Harris. Earlier this season, Harris attended a Los Angeles Sparks game and was welcomed into the locker room.
During Obama's years in office, women's basketball teams frequented the White House to celebrate championships. Breanna Stewart visited each year of Obama's second term during UConn's streak of four consecutive NCAA championships.
No WNBA champion has celebrated at the White House during either of President Donald Trump's terms. Biden hosted the Seattle Storm, 2020 champs, and the Las Vegas Aces, winners in 2022 and 2023. The Liberty, who won the title in 2024, were unable to visit the White House before Biden left office, and said they were not invited by Trump. Instead, the Liberty attended a celebratory dinner with the Obamas in Washington, D.C. The Aces said they never received an invitation from Trump after their 2025 championship. Trump attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals in New York. It's believed he hasn't attended a WNBA game in or out of office.
Back at Home Court, Obama approached Clark, who has become an avatar of the country's political divide. She has not explicitly talked about her personal politics, though she did like Taylor Swift's Instagram post in support of Harris' 2024 presidential campaign. Obama offered advice.
"Don't let all this nonsense get you down," he said to her. "Don't lose that joy."
Clark smiled as she told reporters after the event that her hands were sweaty and clammy. She replied.
"I won't."
FANS RAN TO meet newly crowned 3-point champion Azzi Fudd on Saturday morning at WNBA Live, their feet racing over the orange carpet extending through the convention center. Fudd hosted an autograph session early in the day, and the line to get in backed up before the exhibit hall even opened. Not everyone was lucky enough to make it.
Romina Lopez, an 18-year-old Chicago native who bought a WNBA Live ticket the day before, wanted to meet Fudd but was too far back in line. Lopez, who had torn her ACL playing soccer, was inspired by Fudd's recovery from multiple knee injuries.
Even though she didn't score a Fudd autograph, Lopez was thrilled she got to meet Miles, Gabriela Jaquez, Natasha Cloud and Rickea Jackson.
"It's amazing to see and connect with players," Lopez said, "and just see how they're growing the game."
Lopez hopped in the A'ja Wilson line a little before noon. The MVP wasn't set to arrive until 3 p.m., but a line started to form at 10 a.m.
Dacia and Toya Robinson lined up behind Lopez. They traveled to Chicago from Greensboro, North Carolina, for their first trip to a WNBA All-Star Weekend. The trio took turns guarding their spot in line while exploring the booths.
Before arriving in Chicago, the Robinsons wondered how the swirling controversies around the league could affect the atmosphere of All-Star Weekend.
"Fear is too strong," Toya said. "But it was a concern. Being here, you don't see it or feel it at all."
ENGELBERT WALKED UP to the podium on Saturday evening with a relaxed demeanor for her annual All-Star Weekend news conference. She even improvised a roast of a reporter, telling a hoarse writer, "maybe too many parties the past couple of days. We've all been at them."
If the criticism she has received bothers her, Engelbert didn't show it.
Even though the league and players successfully negotiated a collective bargaining agreement that dramatically increased player salaries and quality of life, the tension that bubbled at the end of last season between the commissioner and the players has not completely dissipated.
When Thomas shared she received death threats following the foul on Clark, she also said she hadn't heard from Engelbert. In her pregame news conference on Saturday, Wilson joked about her relationship with Engelbert. "My only relationship with her is when she hands me awards," Wilson said. "Which is great. I love to see her."
After the game when Clark was asked about her relationship with league leadership, she said that she has a "great relationship with Adam [Silver]" and communicates regularly with Ogwumike and player leadership. She did not mention a relationship with Engelbert.
The commissioner acknowledged in her remarks on Saturday that communication needs to improve. She also announced the WNBA will launch a centralized replay center in 2027 to help address officiating concerns.
Even with her long-term projects, a new CBA, and continued growth and investment in the league (like the 35 partners and licensees at WNBA Live), Engelbert's future remains an open question.
"It's not on me to decide," Ogwumike said on Friday when asked if she supported Engelbert as commissioner moving forward. "As players, the leadership that's there, we rock with that leadership. I know there's a lot of different conversations around the future of our leadership, but I told her that on [Tuesday]. Like this is who we got, and we're going to rock with who we got."
When asked about whether she expected to be commissioner in 2027, Engelbert gave a lengthy response -- she mentioned how "blessed" she was to have the job -- that did not answer the question.
CLARK SCORED the first basket of the game -- surprise, on a layup! -- in front of a record crowd of 19,783 at the United Center. She followed that up with buckets from 33 feet and 37 feet on her way to 11 points in the first 2½ minutes.
"You're kind of just like a young kid running around out there, having fun and shooting whatever shots and being creative, playing with flow," she said. "And I really enjoy that about the game of basketball, so it was really fun for me to get back out there."
In her All-Star Game debut, the Seattle Storm's Dominique Malonga took a pass from Reese in the second quarter and became the youngest player, at 20 years old, to dunk in the WNBA All-Star Game. Reese nearly jumped as high in a joyous celebration.
"It just felt amazing," Malonga said during an on-court interview. "I just felt blessed every day to evolve in this league amongst these amazing players."
Playing in her 11th All-Star Game, Ogwumike became the all-time leading scorer in WNBA All-Star Game history. Her 11 points gave her 127 for her career to pass Maya Moore.
Jones was named MVP after putting up 22 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists. Jones has now won a regular-season MVP, a finals MVP, a Commissioner's Cup MVP, and an All-Star MVP. She dedicated the trophy to her aunt, who recently died and whose memorial service was on Saturday.
New faces, old stars. Buckets and banter.
It was exactly what you'd expect from an All-Star Game, which for the WNBA and its fans is a welcome turn of events. But now the break is over. It's back to the regular season. Where a new crisis seems to be waiting around every corner.
Dacia Robinson, waiting to meet Wilson back at the fanfest, said aloud what most everyone who is invested in the league was feeling over the weekend.
"I would like," she said, "to get back to the game."
