2026 WNBA All Star game features 5 former Irish standouts
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The WNBA All-Star Game is back in Chicago for the second time, and the 2026 edition of the All-Star showcase has a bit of Irish flavor to it.
No school will be more represented this weekend in Chicago than Notre Dame, with 5 All Stars who boast Irish ties.
"It's special," said Olivia Miles, Notre Dame women's basketball guard from 2021 to 2025, and current member of the Minnesota Lynx.
Five former Notre Dame women's basketball standouts reminisce on the college days.
"It's an honor being here with some of my former teammates, it's pretty cool to be an all-star, but to be an all-star with people that you won a championship with before, and it's pretty cool, I'm happy for them, to see them flourishing in their careers," said Jackie Young, Notre Dame women's basketball guard from 2016 to 2019, and current member of the Las Vegas Aces.
"I think it speaks volumes to Notre Dame, and the organization, what they've built there, and obviously, it's fun to be back around Marina and some of the younger players that played there," said Jessica Shepard, Notre Dame women's basketball forward from 2017-2019, and current member of the Dallas Wings.
Jackie Young, Jessica Shepard, and Marina Mabrey all were a part of the 2018 Irish team that brought home the program's second national championship.
For Mabrey, this weekend is an opportunity to catch up with her former teammates, some of whom she's formed a lifelong bond with.
"I'm honestly just grateful I got a chance to play there because they develop players into such great humans and also being a great player and a great teammate so I'm happy that I got to play at Notre Dame, and I'm also happy that we get to share this moment together because we all kind of grew up there and had some really great relationships we made," said Marina Mabrey, Notre Dame women's basketball guard from 2015 to 2019, and current member of the Toronto Tempo.
This weekend's festivities kicked off at the brand-new Obama Presidential Center, with the building's namesake making a surprise appearance
For these 5 All-Stars, South Bend will always be a home, and they'll be repping Notre Dame on a national stage.
"I think it's awesome, I think it just shows what we do and how we produce at Notre Dame," said Sonia Citron, Notre Dame women's basketball guard from 2021 to 2025, and current member of the Washington Mystics.
ABC57 asks the stars of the show what they missed most about being at Notre Dame.
"The community is a special place, they really rally around the athletics there, and academics there, so yeah just a special place," said Miles.
"I'd have to say the people," said Citron.
"Portillos," said Shepard.
The All-Star game tips off at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time Saturday night from the United Center, on ABC57.