Nearly half of 2025 WNBA draft picks are no longer in the league

Final month, 38 girls’s basketball gamers had been chosen within the WNBA Draft in New York. Tears flowed, Households embraced, and a lifelong dream for dozens of athletes got here to fruition.

However as we speak, not even six weeks later, solely 20 of the gamers drafted are literally on WNBA rosters; a number of are nonetheless enjoying abroad, just a few had been injured, however the overwhelming majority had been waived at coaching camp.

That’s as a result of groups solely have 12 roster spots, although they’ll deliver as much as 20 gamers to coaching camp. The most effective predictor of whether or not a participant will make a last roster is through which draft spherical they’re chosen — odds are, if a participant is drafted within the third spherical, they gained’t make it.

No participant chosen within the draft’s first spherical was waived, though two gamers — Juste Jocyte (Golden State Valkyries) and Ajsa Sivka (Chicago Sky) stay abroad this season. (There have been 12 gamers chosen within the first spherical — somewhat than the standard 13 — as a result of the Las Vegas Aces’ first-round choose was revoked by the WNBA).

Conversely, 4 gamers chosen within the draft’s second spherical had been waived. Madison Scott, drafted by the Dallas Wings with the 14th total choose, didn’t make the opening day roster. Neither did Shyanne Sellers, who was drafted by the Valkyries with the seventeenth total choose and subsequently waived. Sellers later signed a coaching camp cope with the Atlanta Dream, however was waived after a quick stint there, too.

South Carolina standout Bree Corridor, chosen 18th by the Indiana Fever, was additionally minimize forward of the season’s tip-off, as was Minnesota Lynx draftee Dalayah Daniels, who was picked twenty fourth. As well as, No. 22 choose Aicha Coulibaly was not on the Chicago Sky’s coaching camp roster as she is going to miss the season with an damage.

The third spherical of the draft is the place issues get most dire. In the event you’re chosen within the third spherical, there’s an amazing probability you gained’t make the staff’s last roster. However, there’s all the time an opportunity. Of the 13 gamers chosen, three made WNBA rosters this season: No. 27 choose JJ Quinerly (Wings), No. 28 choose Liatu King (Los Angeles Sparks), and No. 36 choose Taylor Thierry (Dream). King was initially waived, however later signed a hardship contract with the Sparks after a number of gamers suffered accidents.

The remainder of the third-round draftees didn’t make WNBA rosters: Serena Sundell (Seattle Storm), who was picked at No. 26; Madison Conner (Storm), who was picked twenty ninth; Kaitlyn Chen (Valkyries), who was picked thirtieth; Aaronette Vonley (Wings) who was picked thirty first; Zaay Inexperienced (Washington Mystics) who was picked thirty second; Yvonne Ejim (Fever), who was picked thirty third; Jordan Hobbs (Storm) picked at thirty fourth; and Harmoni Turner (Las Vegas Aces) picked at thirty fifth had been all waived. As well as, No. 37 choose Aubrey Griffin didn’t be a part of the Minnesota Lynx’s coaching camp roster as she recovers from damage, and No. 38 choose Adja Kane stays abroad and didn’t be a part of the New York Liberty’s.

Right here is the total listing of 2025 WNBA Draftees — and whether or not or not they made WNBA rosters this season

Paige Bueckers — Dallas Wings (on roster, presently beginning)

Dominique Malonga — Seattle Storm (on roster, enjoying restricted minutes)

Sonia Citron — Washington Mystics (on roster, presently beginning)

Kiki Iriafen — Washington Mystics (on roster, presently beginning)

Juste Jocyte — Golden State Valkyries (nonetheless abroad)

George Amoore — Washington Mystics (tore ACL at coaching camp, will miss full season)

Aneesah Morrow — Connecticut Solar (on roster, presently enjoying bench minutes)

Saniyah Rivers — Connecticut Solar (on roster, beginning)

Sarah Ashlee Barker — Los Angeles Sparks (on roster, beginning)
Ajsa Sivka — Chicago Sky (nonetheless abroad)

Hailey Van Lith — Chicago Sky (on roster, enjoying restricted minutes)
Aziah James — Dallas Wings (on roster, enjoying restricted minutes)
Aaliyah Nye — Las Vegas Aces (on roster, enjoying bench minutes)
Madison Scott – Dallas Wings (waived)
Anastasiia Kosu — Minnesota Lynx (on roster, enjoying restricted minutes)
Maddy Westbeld — Chicago Sky (on roster, enjoying restricted minutes)

Shyanne Sellers — Golden State Valkyries (waived)

Te-Hina Paopao — Atlanta Dream (on roster, beginning)

Makayla Timpson — Indiana Fever (on roster, enjoying restricted minutes)

Bree Corridor — Indiana Fever (waived)
Sania Feagin — Los Angeles Sparks (on roster, enjoying restricted minutes)
Aicha Coulibaly — Chicago Sky (not on roster as a consequence of damage)

Lucy Olsen — Washington Mystics (on roster, enjoying bench minutes)
Dalayah Daniels — Minnesota Lynx (waived)
Rayah Marshall — Connecticut Solar (on roster, enjoying restricted minutes)

Serena Sundell — Seattle Storm (waived)
JJ Quinerly — Dallas Wings (on roster, enjoying restricted minutes)

Liatu King — Los Angeles Sparks (on roster, enjoying bench minutes)
Madison Conner — Seattle Storm (waived)

Kaitlyn Chen — Golden State Valkyries (waived)
Aaronette Vonley — Dallas Wings (waived)
Zaay Inexperienced — Washington Mystics (waived)

Yvonne Ejim — Indiana Fever (waived)
Jordan Hobbs — Seattle Storm (waived)

Harmoni Turner — Las Vegas Aces (waived)
Taylor Thierry — Atlanta Dream (on roster, enjoying restricted minutes)
Aubrey Griffin — Minnesota Lynx (not on roster as a consequence of damage)
Adja Kane — New York Liberty (abroad this season)

Simply because a participant received waived this season doesn’t imply they’ll by no means make a WNBA roster. Gamers can go abroad, work on their video games, and are available again in future years. However, the fact is that it’s extremely tough to truly make the WNBA — even for individuals who hear their title known as on draft night time.