New York Liberty guard Pauline Astier was named to the 2026 WNBA All-Rookie Team, the league announced Wednesday. Astier, who signed with the Liberty as an undrafted free agent out of France, averaged 9.3 points, 3.3 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game in her first professional season.
The recognition caps a rookie year in which Astier became a regular starter for a Liberty team that advanced to the second round of the 2026 playoffs.
The Main Development
Astier’s Pauline Astier All-Rookie Team selection puts her alongside five other first-year players picked by the league. Olivia Miles, the No. 2 pick who signed with the Minnesota Lynx, led the group after winning Rookie of the Year, according to Yahoo Sports.
The full 2026 All-Rookie Team also included Azzi Fudd, the No. 1 pick taken by the Dallas Wings, Flau’jae Johnson, the No. 8 pick who joined the Seattle Storm, Kiki Rice, the No. 6 pick with the Toronto Tempo, and Sydney Taylor, an undrafted free agent with the Chicago Sky. Astier and Taylor were the only two undrafted players on the list, a detail Bleacher Report highlighted in its coverage of the honorees.
What It Means
Going undrafted and still earning a spot on the All-Rookie Team separates Astier from most of her fellow honorees, who arrived with first-round pedigree. Her per-game numbers, 9.3 points, 3.3 assists and 2.7 rebounds, came while playing alongside established veterans rather than as the clear focal point of an offense, which makes her inclusion notable given the depth of talent on New York’s roster.
Team Context
Astier earned a starting role on a Liberty team that leaned on a lineup of Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, Sabrina Ionescu, Astier and Rebecca Allen more often than any other combination during the season, according to CBS Sports. That same report described Astier as an elite finisher at the rim within a roster built around established stars, a role that helped the Liberty reach the second round of the playoffs.
Starting next to three former All-Stars as a rookie is not a common assignment, and Astier’s ability to hold that spot through the season factored into New York’s playoff push even as the team’s postseason run ended short of a title.
What’s Next
The Liberty’s offseason outlook includes questions about roster construction heading into 2027, per CBS Sports, though no specific changes involving Astier have been announced. The WNBA has not released further details on award ceremonies or offseason honors tied to the 2026 All-Rookie Team selections.
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