Five deserving first-time WNBA All-Stars: Wings FA signing, expansion guards and more

Portland Fire guard Carla Leite

The Fire have been a pleasant surprise, ranking eighth in the league standings 17 games into the 44-game regular season. Leite, who averaged 17.2 minutes per game on last year's expansion Golden State Valkyries, has taken on a much more central role in Portland. 

She leads the team in scoring (14.1 points per game) on 44.9/39.3/87.3 shooting splits while adding 5.6 assists per game. On Wednesday, Leite, 22, became the youngest WNBA player to have 20 points and 10 assists in a game, helping Portland defeat the Seattle Storm, 94-89.

Leite showed off her entire repertoire, knocking down a three off an offensive rebound to tie the game at 45 late in the second quarter, then attacking the basket for an and-1 opportunity in the third.

She also found herself in the right place at the right time on a missed three-pointer early during the fourth quarter, with the ball finding Leite's outstretched hands, and she finished with a layup.

Seattle Storm center Dominique Malonga

Even after missing eight games due to a concussion, Malonga ranks 12th among frontcourt players in WNBA All-Star fan voting released Wednesday. And after a monster performance against Portland, Malonga's case for a bid has only grown stronger. 

The No. 2 overall pick of the 2025 WNBA Draft recorded her first double-double of the season, scoring a season-high 28 points and adding 11 rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals. This year, she's averaging 15.8 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.

Malonga has clearly grown more comfortable in Year 2, coolly splitting a Fire double-team in the post for a layup, and later attacking the basket with the ball for another close bucket.

While the Storm (3-13) are among the league's worst teams, that shouldn't be held against Malonga. In a competitive field, however, she must continue putting up big numbers over Seattle's next four games before voting closes to earn a reserve slot.

Toronto Tempo guard Marina Mabrey

An eight-year veteran, Mabrey is having a career season with the expansion Tempo. She is averaging 17.9 points per game while honing her deep accuracy, making 9-of-23 threes from 27 feet or farther, her 39.1 percent shooting percentage from that range the second highest among 217 players. (h/t Her Hoop Stats)

Overshadowed by stars including Arike Ogunbowale, Kahleah Copper, Angel Reese and Alyssa Thomas on previous teams, Mabrey has taken on more of a star role in Toronto, and it could lead to an All-Star breakthrough.

Washington Mystics center Shakira Austin

The 2025 Associated Press Comeback Player of the Year, Austin has been even better this season, averaging 14.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, three assists and 1.3 blocks per game — all career-highs — in 12 games.

At 6-foot-5, Austin is tough to challenge in the paint, as Tempo center Temi Fagbenle learned earlier in June.

Austin's biggest growth, arguably, has been her passing. She has a 19.9 percent assist rate, well above her career average (12.1 percent).

The five-year veteran ranks No. 21 overall in fan voting, already receiving solid backing. If the media, her peers and WNBA coaches have been paying close attention, Austin should have no problem earning her first All-Star nod.