On Monday, news broke that Atlanta Dream wing Rhyne Howard would miss the rest of this month with a left knee injury. That includes missing the All-Star Game, which Howard was initially chosen for.
Instead of playing in her third All-Star Game, Howard will nurse her injured knee as she tries to get back for the stretch run for a shockingly good Atlanta team. And with Howard out of the All-Star Game, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert will have to choose a player to replace her.
So, who should take Rhyne Howard's spot in the All-Star Game? There are two very good options at guard who were left off initially.
The case for Brittney Sykes
The Washington Mystics have two All-Stars already, but if you ask most people who cover the WNBA, the team's most deserving All-Star isn't one of those two.
No offense to rookies Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen, who've both come out guns blazing in the WNBA and look like real building blocks for this Mystics team, but Brittney Sykes has been the team's best player in 2025.
The veteran guard leads the Mystics in scoring at 17.6 points per contest while also dishing out 4.5 assists per game, also the best on the Washington roster and a mark that ranks 13th in the WNBA despite Sykes being more of a 2-guard forced to play the point due to roster construction.
Sykes has been especially good at forcing her way to the line, as she leads the WNBA in free-throw attempts per game at 8.0. She's been aggressive and relentless on offense.
Sykes is one of six players this season to rank in the top 15 in both points and assists. The other five are all All-Stars: Kelsey Plum, Sabrina Ionescu, Paige Bueckers, Skylar Diggins and Caitlin Clark.
If that distinction is enough to get all of those players into the game, why isn't it enough to get Sykes in? Sure, she ranks just outside the top 10 in both stats, but she's still been a very productive player all year.
The case for Kayla McBride
Kayla McBride is having another outstanding shooting season, ranking second in the WNBA in 3-pointers made and shooting 37.9 percent from 3-point range. She's also shooting 94.1 percent from the free throw line.
McBride's shooting has been a huge part of Minnesota's success this year. Obviously, Napheesa Collier is the key for the Lynx, but McBride is second on the team in scoring and has contributed as a passer and defender as well.
There's also a team-based argument here. Sykes and McBride both are on teams with two other All-Star picks. All things being equal, wouldn't you rather reward the player on the league's best team by making her the team's third All-Star as opposed to giving a player on a fringe playoff contender a third one?
Who should be Rhyne Howard's All-Star replacement?
The "give the Lynx three All-Stars" argument is compelling, but it isn't quite compelling enough.
The fact of the matter is, Sykes was the bigger snub of the two. She's the best player on a team that is exceeding expectations and should have been selected over her rookie teammate, Sonia Citron.
So when it comes to replacing Howard, Engelbert has to make the right choice here and select Sykes. Slim deserves an All-Star spot. That it has to come at the expense of Howard is a real bummer, but the WNBA commissioner has to rectify the situation and give Sykes the spot that she deserves.