WNBA: The 2025 Season

brevity

brevity

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Reigan Richardson has declared for the draft. I'd think she's a longshot and would more likely play pro elsewhere.

https://www.instagram.com/dukeglobalzone/p/DH9q_CgPFTC/

Duke alumni in the WNBA:

- Chelsea Gray (the legend; named MVP of Unrivaled, key part of powerful Las Vegas Aces)
- Elizabeth Williams (Chicago; missed most of last season but signed extension)
- Lexie Brown (just traded to Seattle)

Haley Peters, who has shuttled between the WNBA and Europe through her career, signed a training-camp contract with Connecticut.

Add those who transferred out:

- Azura Stevens
- Celeste Taylor
 
brevity said:
Rachel DeMita, who talked to Kara Lawson and Toby Fournier last month for her Courtside Club podcast, went to France to interview 6-6 post player Dominique Malonga, who is expected to go as high as #2 in next week's WNBA Draft. She won a silver medal with Team France in the 2024 Olympics.

Click to expand...
She probably also got to sneak in a visit with Arianna Roberson's brother who plays for the men's side of the same club (Tony Parker's team). WNBA rules are different from the NBA so players who retain international status are eligible only in the year that they turn 20 unless they later go to college. That makes Malonga more than five years younger than some other center prospects who have been mentioned for this year. Had Toby either done a year of college in Canada or played professionally in some other country, she would have been a mid-first round pick at worst this year, but now she has to follow the same rules as other college players.
 
The WNBA draft was last night. Two NCSU players were invited and had their trip made worthwhile.
Both Saniya Rivers (8th) and Aziaha James (12th) were taken in the first round. ND's Sonia Citron (3rd) joined them.

Other ACC notables were
ND Maddy Westbeld (4th, 2nd round)
FSU Makayla Timpson (7th, 2nd round)
ND Liatu King (3rd, 3rd round)

The chances that any player not taken in the first will be on a roster at the start of the season are pretty slim, and they fall with each lower pick. Why they even have a third round is a mystery to me.

The highlight of the whole draft day was Carolina putting out this image.

1744736329335.png

Of course not a single one of those three heard their name called, as expected. :sneaky:
 
Also of note on the draft, Sedona Prince wasn't called. If she had no baggage, that would be a huge surprise, but she's packing a few suitcases of issues that teams don't want to touch.

apnews.com

Sedona Prince goes undrafted in WNBA with her basketball future now murky

Sedona Prince has gotten a lot of attention for her social media posts, drawing attention to gender equity questions at the NCAA Tournament in 2021, and her status as a lead plaintiff in a landmark antitrust lawsuit standing up for college athletes.
apnews.com apnews.com
 
CameronBornAndBred said:
The WNBA draft was last night. Two NCSU players were invited and had their trip made worthwhile.
Both Saniya Rivers (8th) and Aziaha James (12th) were taken in the first round. ND's Sonia Citron (3rd) joined them.

Other ACC notables were
ND Maddy Westbeld (4th, 2nd round)
FSU Makayla Timpson (7th, 2nd round)
ND Liatu King (3rd, 3rd round)

The chances that any player not taken in the first will be on a roster at the start of the season are pretty slim, and they fall with each lower pick. Why they even have a third round is a mystery to me.

The highlight of the whole draft day was Carolina putting out this image.

View attachment 19886

Of course not a single one of those three heard their name called, as expected. :sneaky:
Click to expand...
Why wear half a legging?
 
CameronBornAndBred said:
Of course not a single one of those three heard their name called, as expected. :sneaky:
Click to expand...
For all we like to make fun, Alyssa Ustby is an excellent glue player, and she has already signed a contract as an undrafted free agent with the LA Sparks. She probably won't make the final roster, primarily because of her shooting, but she at least still has a chance at it. It's been a while since a Duke player has gotten even that much of look. I think the last was Leaonna Odom, back in the COVID draft. I like the direction we're heading, though.
 
Phredd3 said:
For all we like to make fun, Alyssa Ustby is an excellent glue player, and she has already signed a contract as an undrafted free agent with the LA Sparks. She probably won't make the final roster, primarily because of her shooting, but she at least still has a chance at it. It's been a while since a Duke player has gotten even that much of look. I think the last was Leaonna Odom, back in the COVID draft. I like the direction we're heading, though.
Click to expand...
We'll get there, we are getting there.

Also, GTHC. Enjoy Europe, Alyssa.
 
CameronBornAndBred said:
The chances that any player not taken in the first will be on a roster at the start of the season are pretty slim, and they fall with each lower pick. Why they even have a third round is a mystery to me.
Click to expand...

It's being invited to tryout. Maybe 1 third rounder makes a roster each year, and that will rise slightly now that the league has increased it's team count by 9%. It serves as an acknowledgement (To some degree) that there are most qualified women out there than spots on teams.

Worst case, it allows those women to demonstrate their readiness to play overseas.


I long for the day when these talentend ladies can have a successful future.
 
uh_no said:
It's being invited to tryout. Maybe 1 third rounder makes a roster each year, and that will rise slightly now that the league has increased it's team count by 9%. It serves as an acknowledgement (To some degree) that there are most qualified women out there than spots on teams.
Click to expand...
Being a 2nd or 3rd rounder isn't a death knell for WNBA hopes, but face reality and those hopes take a massive hit. Enjoy your tryout and enjoy playing overseas. It's not like NOT being in the WNBA is crushing, especially since there's a reason that almost all players go overseas anyway for the bigger bucks. But it's still a matter of prestige.

In a NYT article of "winners and losers", it's pointed out that 2nd rounder Mikalya Timpson from FSU actually might be perfect right where she landed, so she gets Winner status.

Timpson (Florida State) also landed in an ideal spot. Indiana stocked up on bigs during the offseason, but Timpson most closely resembles Temi Fagbenle, who is now with the Valkyries. Clark loved having a rim-running big on the floor with her, and that is one of Timpson’s best skills.
Click to expand...

www.nytimes.com

Winners and losers of the 2025 WNBA Draft: Dallas Wings, UConn players and Sedona Prince

Who missed out on a key player? How did the Valkyries do?
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com
 
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