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

Of the 38 players selected on draft night last month, only 20 are active on WNBA rosters. That’s the harsh reality of trying to make one of the most competitive leagues in the world.

Last month, 38 women’s basketball players were selected in the WNBA Draft in New York. Tears flowed, Families embraced, and a lifelong dream for dozens of athletes came to fruition.

But today, not even six weeks later, only 20 of the players drafted are actually on WNBA rosters; several are still playing overseas, a few were injured, but the vast majority were waived at training camp.

That’s because teams only have 12 roster spots, though they can bring up to 20 players to training camp. The best predictor of whether a player will make a final roster is in which draft round they are selected — odds are, if a player is drafted in the third round, they won’t make it.

No player selected in the draft’s first round was waived, although two players — Juste Jocyte (Golden State Valkyries) and Ajsa Sivka (Chicago Sky) remain overseas this season. (There were 12 players selected in the first round — rather than the typical 13 — because the Las Vegas Aces’ first-round pick was revoked by the WNBA).

Conversely, four players selected in the draft’s second round were waived. Madison Scott, drafted by the Dallas Wings with the 14th overall pick, didn’t make the opening day roster. Neither did Shyanne Sellers, who was drafted by the Valkyries with the 17th overall pick and subsequently waived. Sellers later signed a training camp deal with the Atlanta Dream, but was waived after a brief stint there, too.

South Carolina standout Bree Hall, selected 18th by the Indiana Fever, was also cut ahead of the season’s tip-off, as was Minnesota Lynx draftee Dalayah Daniels, who was picked 24th. In addition, No. 22 pick Aicha Coulibaly was not on the Chicago Sky’s training camp roster as she will miss the season with an injury.

The third round of the draft is where things get most dire. If you’re selected in the third round, there’s an overwhelming chance you won’t make the team’s final roster. But, there’s always a chance. Of the 13 players selected, three made WNBA rosters this season: No. 27 pick JJ Quinerly (Wings), No. 28 pick Liatu King (Los Angeles Sparks), and No. 36 pick Taylor Thierry (Dream). King was initially waived, but later signed a hardship contract with the Sparks after several players suffered injuries.

The rest of the third-round draftees did not make WNBA rosters: Serena Sundell (Seattle Storm), who was picked at No. 26; Madison Conner (Storm), who was picked 29th; Kaitlyn Chen (Valkyries), who was picked 30th; Aaronette Vonley (Wings) who was picked 31st; Zaay Green (Washington Mystics) who was picked 32nd; Yvonne Ejim (Fever), who was picked 33rd; Jordan Hobbs (Storm) picked at 34th; and Harmoni Turner (Las Vegas Aces) picked at 35th were all waived. In addition, No. 37 pick Aubrey Griffin did not join the Minnesota Lynx’s training camp roster as she recovers from injury, and No. 38 pick Adja Kane remains overseas and did not join the New York Liberty’s.

Here is the full list of 2025 WNBA Draftees — and whether or not they made WNBA rosters this season

1. Paige Bueckers — Dallas Wings (on roster, currently starting)
2. Dominique Malonga — Seattle Storm (on roster, playing limited minutes)
3. Sonia Citron — Washington Mystics (on roster, currently starting)
4. Kiki Iriafen — Washington Mystics (on roster, currently starting)
5. Juste Jocyte — Golden State Valkyries (still overseas)
6. George Amoore — Washington Mystics (tore ACL at training camp, will miss full season)
7. Aneesah Morrow — Connecticut Sun (on roster, currently playing bench minutes)
8. Saniyah Rivers — Connecticut Sun (on roster, starting)
9. Sarah Ashlee Barker — Los Angeles Sparks (on roster, starting)
10. Ajsa Sivka — Chicago Sky (still overseas)
11. Hailey Van Lith — Chicago Sky (on roster, playing limited minutes)
12. Aziah James — Dallas Wings (on roster, playing limited minutes)
13. Aaliyah Nye — Las Vegas Aces (on roster, playing bench minutes)
14. Madison Scott - Dallas Wings (waived)
15. Anastasiia Kosu — Minnesota Lynx (on roster, playing limited minutes)
16. Maddy Westbeld — Chicago Sky (on roster, playing limited minutes)
17. Shyanne Sellers — Golden State Valkyries (waived)
18. Te-Hina Paopao — Atlanta Dream (on roster, starting)
19. Makayla Timpson — Indiana Fever (on roster, playing limited minutes)
20. Bree Hall — Indiana Fever (waived)
21. Sania Feagin — Los Angeles Sparks (on roster, playing limited minutes)
22. Aicha Coulibaly — Chicago Sky (not on roster due to injury)
23. Lucy Olsen — Washington Mystics (on roster, playing bench minutes)
24. Dalayah Daniels — Minnesota Lynx (waived)
25. Rayah Marshall — Connecticut Sun (on roster, playing limited minutes)
26. Serena Sundell — Seattle Storm (waived)
27. JJ Quinerly — Dallas Wings (on roster, playing limited minutes)
28. Liatu King — Los Angeles Sparks (on roster, playing bench minutes)
29. Madison Conner — Seattle Storm (waived)
30. Kaitlyn Chen — Golden State Valkyries (waived)
31. Aaronette Vonley — Dallas Wings (waived)
32. Zaay Green — Washington Mystics (waived)
33. Yvonne Ejim — Indiana Fever (waived)
34. Jordan Hobbs — Seattle Storm (waived)
35. Harmoni Turner — Las Vegas Aces (waived)
36. Taylor Thierry — Atlanta Dream (on roster, playing limited minutes)
37. Aubrey Griffin — Minnesota Lynx (not on roster due to injury)
38. Adja Kane — New York Liberty (overseas this season)

Just because a player got waived this season doesn’t mean they’ll never make a WNBA roster. Players can go overseas, work on their games, and come back in future years. But, the reality is that it’s incredibly difficult to actually make the WNBA — even for those who hear their name called on draft night.