Tension for the WNBA season 2025 is evident. After an exciting WNBA season 2024 and March Madness Tournament – where collegiate players like Paige BueckersHailey van Lith and Aneesah Morrow dominated headlines – the fans are eager to see beginners enter the league. But now that the WNBA draft is finally here (players will receive their bids on April 14), there is one thing you should be aware of after tonight. Especially newer fans realize may not be that your favorite Draftee is not actually in a WNBA team. . . yet.
As pointed out by the WNBA player Laeticia Amihere in a Tiktok video Last year, “Everyone got to try.” In other words, to be prepared by one of the 13 teams (cannot forget the latest addition: Golden State Valkyries) In the league does not guarantee you a place on the team’s list. This means that you are invited to training camps and tests, where cuts will be made and a selected number of places will be filled. In fact, about half of this year’s draft elections could be cut. More about the road forward for the 2025 Rookie class here.
What happens after the WNBA Draft Night?
After the WNBA draft, beginners are given about one and a half weeks to settle in the cities where their team is based. Training camp for all teams starts on April 27, per wnba. During this time, Rookie Draft Class will train and compete with a number of athletes, including players who were on the team last year, as well as those who were not prepared but received invitations to training camps.
There are some players that are protected, such as “the very high players, veterinarians,” says Amihere. But everyone else has to compete for a place on the guard list, including the draft of class. “Whether you are prepared super high or last round, it is free game,” says Amihere. “I was elaborated first round last year and I’m still trying.” The official season begins on May 16, so the WNBA team is expected to have decided their last list together then.
How many players will make the cut?
There are 156 slots over the 13 WNBA teams in the league. Each WNBA team has a minimum list of 11 players and a maximum roster size of 12 players. In both 2023 and 2024, 36 collegiate players were prepared. But last year only made 15 of Draft’s guard list. So it is possible that up to half of the 2024 draft will not do so on the team.
It is brutal, but it has also reused the ongoing conversation around adding more teams to WNBA. “WNBA needed an extension that ten years ago is ridiculous,” wrote a commentator during Amiheres video. “We really need more teams in WNBA Aandddd a salary increase for players,” wrote another.
Fortunately the league is already on it with the launch of the Golden State Valkyies, which will be Three choices from the WNBA draft this year. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has also said that the league strives to have 16 WNBA teams in 2028, For AP news. Toronto and Portland are already expected in 2026. But reports of expansionate in Denver, Nashville and South Florida have also been listed as perspective sites.
What happens after you cut?
Getting clips is a normal part of the WNBA design process. “If you are cut after training camp, it does not mean that you are not good,” emphasizes Amihere. “That doesn’t mean the player sucks. Don’t stop supporting that player.” Athletes can be cut for several reasons, many of which have nothing to do with their talent or skills, including fit and chemistry, she adds.
Getting CUT also does not mean that your pro career is over. You can still be signed by another team to try, or you can go abroad and play there, says Amihere.
Alexis Jones is senior health and fitness editor on ps. Her areas of competence include women’s health and fitness, mental health, racial and ethnic differences in health care, diversity in wellness and chronic conditions. Before coming to pop suckers, she was a senior editor at Health Magazine. Her second bylines are available at Women’s Health, Prevention, Marie Claire and more.
