A boom in women’s college basketball is making WNBA ticket prices soar. Fans are eager to see their favorite players playing professionally, but what they don’t know is that they might not get the chance.
Players got drafted to their new teams during the WNBA Draft on April 15, creating exciting moments for fans and players alike across the country. But there’s a quick turnaround, because that spot isn’t guaranteed and the draftees need to fight for it at training camp, which starts almost two weeks later on April 28.
It’s possible that half of the draftees won’t make a team. Last year, only 15 of the 36 draftees made a roster. This is because of the lack of teams and the small number of players that can be on a roster. Additionally, the WNBA doesn’t have a developmental league like the G League in the NBA.
The 12 WNBA teams are only allowed a maximum of 12 roster spots. All teams are expected to have their final rosters in by May 13.
So, tensions are high and competition is hard, as draftees not only compete against the players who were on the team last year, but also with other new draftees and those who got invites to training camp.
There’s so many reasons a player gets cut; it doesn’t mean that a player isn’t good. When players get cut, they still have the chance to get signed by another team or they can play overseas. Many WNBA players already play overseas in the offseason to supplement their meager league salary.
Some players choose not to play overseas and take the year off to keep developing, like former South Carolina guard Brea Beal. She was the No. 24 pick in the second round by the Minnesota Lynx in the 2023 draft. Unfortunately, she didn’t make the team, but her comeback is anticipated this year, as she got a training camp invite with the Las Vegas Aces.
The competition is steep, though. Not only will Beal be competing for a spot on the reigning champions, but she’s competing against amazing players like Syracuse guard Dyasia Fair, Iowa guard Kate Martin and nine-year veteran Bria Hartley.
Looking at the Aces roster, there are 10 players who are most likely going to make the team. These are their stars, like Kelsey Plum and A’ja Wilson, or other players who have proven they’re crucial to the team. That means that there’s only two open roster spots.
Making the cut for a WNBA team isn’t as easy as being a good shooter or a dominant defender. For a team like the Aces, they prioritize team chemistry above all. So, they might take a player who needs some more development but has chemistry with the team.
Other notable players who face not making a team are USC’s very own McKenzie Forbes and Kaitlyn Davis. Forbes got drafted to the Los Angeles Sparks, and Davis is headed to the New York Liberty. It’ll be an uphill battle for both of them if they hope to make their rosters.
The Sparks barely missed the playoffs last year, so they’re looking to get back to a championship-contending team. They proved how serious they were by drafting Stanford forward Cameron Brink and Tennessee guard Rickea Jackson.
Forbes’ case to make the roster revolves around her two-way impact. Forbes is a clutch defender and a great scorer coming off her best season yet, averaging 14.3 points per game. has shown that she can fire up a crowd as well, so she would be a great addition to the squad. If she doesn’t make it, it’ll likely be because of the other first-round draftees.
Davis will be battling as well. The Liberty were the runner up for last year’s championship, so they want players that are ready to contribute right now. Davis will be battling with players signed to training camp — one of them a former Trojan guard in Okako Adika. Additionally, she’ll go up against the three other draftees.
There’s optimism for Davis making the team, since she’s already an older and more experienced player than some of the others. If selected, she can make an impact for the Liberty off the bench and can help them finally win a championship.
There have been proposed solutions to fix the issue of having a lot of star power, but nowhere for the players to go. The most common solution is to expand the rosters and create more teams.
Good news is, the WNBA is already adding a new team next year in Golden State, and the league hopes to have 16 teams by 2028. While it’s not known what cities are getting a team, some cities that commissioner Cathy Engelbert has been throwing around are Philadelphia, Toronto, Nashville and Oregon.
Still, 2028 is years away and there needs to be a faster expansion for the WNBA, which is growing at a fast pace. The addition of teams is long overdue and, hopefully soon, the commissioner signs off on bigger rosters to prevent talent from leaving the WNBA.