The 2025 WNBA Draft has been the loudest so far. Whether it is the orange carpet looks or the training camp sessions, one thing is certain. This year witnessed some of the finest student-athletes put their best foot forward before progressing to the pros. Unlike previous drafts, even the third-round picks were as promising as their first and second round counterparts.
Each player entered the draft withholding their unique basketball craft and skill sets. Not to forget their fanbases. Yes, as fans, you and I play a crucial role in the popularity of a pro team. Through constantly cheering from the courtside or defending them on social media, it is us, we fans, that cement their performances. But these recent waive offs have been a huge blow to all those who wished to see their favorites perform in WNBA, at least once. 36 waive offs to be exact. Which means upsetting 36 fanbases.
And the recent team to bear the brunt is none other than Indiana Fever. Despite boasting of existing players like Caitlin Clark, Natasha Howard, and Aliya Boston gracing the rosters, it seems that the players need to belong to an elite one percent to secure a spot in the rosters. And just when we though that Fever made its final cuts for the season, HC Stephanie White pulled the trigger to fire Bree Hall off the roster.
National reporter, Callie Fin, called out the unabashed waive offs this season. She referred to the brutal 36 roster cuts and waive-offs, even after one match. She mentioned that the cuts are confusing, especially as audiences witness their favorites leaving every other day, before the regular season begins. Addressing Hall’s shocking waive off on the iHeart podcast, Finn said, “We’re gonna see a lot more like we just saw. Bree Hall waved by the Indiana Fever. If she’s not picked up by another team, I’ll be mad, you know what I mean.” I think somewhere deep down, we all know how upsetting it would be to lose a fantastic player like Hall.
Stephanie White, new Indiana Fever head coach, speaks Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, during a press conference held on Salesforce Court at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
With a large fan following and an exceptional college career that ended in the national championship finals, Bree Hall was a former South Carolina Gamecocks‘ player. She became the overall 20th pick in the 2025 W before being waived off by the Fever on May 05, 2025. However, the guard’s brief stint was enough to win hearts at the preseason against Washington Mystics.
Further expanding on the thought and suggesting W to change roster decisions, Finn was heard saying, “Those are players that you want to see in the league. That’s the whole point of this. Like, players that you’re so excited to have watched in college and you want to see transition. This is why, I think, a lot of times we talk about league expansion. We need more teams and new cities, and I’m like, we need roster expansion. Just give us two more raw spots. It would change everything, especially now because the WBA is expanding the amount of games they played in a season.”
Callie’s suggestion isn’t completely wrong. If the league wishes to expand, they can also think of roster expansions instead of just introducing more teams. This would ensure lesser waive offs and decrease the looming uncertainty regarding a rookie’s induction, even after they made through the drafts. It will secure player contracts and instill confidence in rookies and fans alike.
After all, 36 players getting waived off by the league is an alarming number. Especially when they were all fabulous. With promising potential including Shyanne Sellers, Bree Hall, Jillian Alleyne, and Yvonne Ejim being waived off, it deems to be seen if they will be recognized by other W teams or their professional careers come to a disgraced halt.
Controversy Surrounding Shyanne Sellers’ Waive Off
In another shocker surrounding the ongoing roster cuts, overall 17th draft pick, Shyanne Sellers became the latest player to join the list of waived off players. And fans have showcased a massive social media outrage against the recent development.
But what’s even more shocking was their head coach, Natalie Nakase’s justification for parting with Sellers. Without any appropriate reason, she coolly issued a statement defending her stance. Praising Sellers’ stint at the training camp, she emphasized how the team only had to choose 12 players for the season’s roster.
Despite the ongoing waive off tide, Sellers’ father, Brad Seller, issued a statement following Nakase’s. He took to X (former Twitter) and responded to the HC’s justification with, “Bring in some clarity to your questions.” He further emphasises on Shyanne’s health, claiming that she is a hundred percent healthy. Moreover, Sellers has cleared two medical teams before training camp and that she’s ready to play.
This decision to waive her off by the recently introduced team, Golden State Valkyries, evidently comes with a mindset of stacking up international players. Though this ideal roster carries better chances at converting on-court opportunities, the team will miss out on fan favorites. With no college athlete on the roster, the team is sure to miss out on fans who could extend support during Valkyries’ first-ever season.
Meanwhile, Shyanne Sellers is one of the most deserving college athletes whose professional career was halted before she could prove herself. Though she had a rocking start to her WNBA journey, it will be time till we witness a promising prospect like Sellers reach great lengths in her professional career.
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