NEW YORK CITY — Dozens of beloved college basketball players heard their names called on the night of the WNBA Draft. Some, like Harvard’s Harmoni Turner, celebrated from back home, surrounded by family for the momentous occasion.
Others, like UConn point guard Kaitlyn Chen, experienced the once-in-a-lifetime moment in person, glammed up alongside teammates. Chen was at in Manhattan to cheer on friend and presumptive No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers when she realized her dreams would be made, too. She was picked 30th overall by the Golden State Valkyries, and made her way onto the stage to embrace Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, all while her teammates went berserk on the sidelines.
South Carolina standouts Te-Hina Paopao, Bree Hall, and Sania Feagin were all second-round selections, drafted 18th, 20th, and 21st, respectively. University of Iowa guard Lucy Olsen was selected 23rd by the Washington Mystics.
The collegiate fan bases of each of these players celebrated those selections, eager to watch their school’s stars begin their professional basketball careers.
But reality will hit in just a few weeks, when teams will finalize their rosters in May, ahead of the tip-off of the regular season. Many of the fan favorites who were drafted will receive the difficult news that they didn’t make the roster of the team that selected them; in fact, last year, of the 36 WNBA players who were drafted, 13 made their opening day rosters. The year prior, only 15 did.
The WNBA Draft includes three rounds of 12 players each. Being drafted outside of the first round doesn’t mean that players won’t make opening day rosters. But it significantly reduces their chances. Except for overseas players who haven’t yet made the trip to the WNBA, everyone from last year’s first round found a home in the WNBA in Year 1. But only a handful of later-round picks were able to secure roster spots.
There are far fewer roster spots in the WNBA than in the NBA
The WNBA offers up to 156 spots, and the league will likely employ even fewer players than that. While teams can carry up to 12 players on their roster, most opt to have 11.
The 156 spots mark a 12-spot increase from last year, thanks to the addition of the Valkyries as the league’s newest expansion team. By 2026, the WNBA will have 180 roster spots, thanks to the fact that teams in Toronto and Portland are both slated to join the league.
Meanwhile, the NBA offers 450 standard roster spots and 90 two-way contracts—more than three times the number of opportunities than there are on the women’s side.
There are also no domestic alternatives for players on the fringe of the WNBA. Players can continue their careers overseas, but unlike the NBA, there’s no developmental league like the G League that allows players to continue working on their game in the U.S.
It’s unlikely for second and third-round picks to carve out WNBA careers, but it’s possible
In 2024, Kate Martin was selected 18th overall, making headlines because the Iowa star was there to support teammate Caitlin Clark, but ultimately had her emotional on-stage moment. Not only did Martin make the Las Vegas Aces’ Opening Day roster, but she also earned rotation minutes and was selected by the Golden State Valkyries in their expansion draft in December.
In total, around 25 players who heard their names called in the second or third round of the draft over the past decade are currently rotation players in the WNBA.
That list includes:
- Minnesota Lynx forward Dorka Juhasz (selected 16th in 2023)
- Atlanta Dream forward Naz Hillmon (selected 15th in 2022)
- Connecticut Sun forward Olivia Nelson-Ododa (selected 19th in 2022)
- Phoenix Mercury forward Amy Atwell (selected 27th in 2022)
- Washington Mystics guard Jade Melbourne (selected 33rd in 2022)
- Dallas Wings guard DiJonai Carrington (selected 20th in 2021)
- Las Vegas Aces guard Dana Evans (selected 13th in 2021)
- New York Liberty forward Leonie Fiebich (selected 22nd in 2020)
- Mystics guard Sug Sutton (selected 24th in 2020)
- Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (selected 13th in 2019)
- Aces forward Megan Gustafson (selected 17th in 2019)
- Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman (selected 18th in 2019)
- Sun guard Marina Mabrey (selected 19th in 2019)
- Lynx forward Bridget Carleton (selected 21st in 2019)
- Liberty guard Kennedy Burke (selected 22nd in 2019)
- Los Angeles Sparks forward Monique Billings (selected 15th in 2018)
- Wings forward Myisha Hines-Allen (selected 19th in 2018)
- Sparks Mercedes Russell (selected 22nd in 2018)
- Sun guard Lindsay Allen (selected 14th in 2017)
- Valkyries forward Temi Fagbenle (selected 35th in 2016)
- Liberty guard Natasha Cloud (selected 15th in 2015)
- Liberty forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton (selected 17th in 2015)
- Aces center Astou Ndour (selected 16th in 2014)
- Valkyries forward Stephanie Talbot (selected 33rd in 2014)
It’s an impressive list filled with standouts. Natasha Cloud, for example, is one of the best two-way guards in the game. DiJonai Carrington just might be the best player out of that 2021 draft class, establishing herself as one of the best guard defenders in the league and earning the Most Improved Player trophy last season. Leonie Fiebich has already shown she’s one of the most versatile young wings in the league.
Most teams begin training camp next week, with the regular season officially beginning on Friday, May 16. By then, we’ll know which college standouts will get to play for a WNBA team this season, and which will have been cut at the buzzer. As the league expands, opportunities will continue to mount — but in the meantime, fans will soon be hit with the sobering reality that most of the names called on Draft Night won’t play in the WNBA this season.
And, the same players who just a few weeks ago rejoiced, will get the news that their lifelong dreams are coming to a sudden halt.
