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Unlucky WNBA fan favorites already have their next opportunity lined up

There are so many new opportunities now.
ByElaine Blum|
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Apr 14, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Shyanne Sellers on the orange carpet before the 2025 WNBA Draft at The Shed at Hudson Yards. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Apr 14, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Shyanne Sellers on the orange carpet before the 2025 WNBA Draft at The Shed at Hudson Yards. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Teams had to make some brutal roster decisions ahead of this season, leaving several fan favorites without a spot in the WNBA. Some, like Kate Martin and Anneli Maley, ended up signing development contracts and profiting from one of the biggest changes under the new CBA. 

Players, coaches, and fans have long lamented that 12 roster spots per team aren’t enough and that the limited opportunities especially hurt younger players. Now, each team has two development spots for players with three or fewer years of experience. Those players can appear in up to 12 games in a season and will be around the team all season long, learning and growing their game. 

Even with two new teams added to the league and the development spots, many fan favorites were left without a WNBA contract. Some, like Shayanne Sellers and Deja Kelly, already have a new opportunity lined up: They will be playing in the UPSHOT League this summer. 

What is the UPSHOT League?

UPSHOT is a new professional women’s basketball league in the U.S. that will provide thrilling opportunities for players who didn’t land a WNBA contract. It will feature four teams—the Jacksonville Waves, the Savannah Steel, the Charlotte Crown, and the Greensboro Groove—and will tip off its first season on May 15. 

The league was co-founded by former WBL player and WNBA president Donna Orender

The four rosters feature some familiar names for WNBA fans

Perhaps the most well-known names on the fourUPSHOT rosters for WNBA fans are Shayenne Sellers and Deja Kelly. Sellers was the 17th pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, but was ultimately waived by the Golden State Valkyries before even playing a preseason game—a move that sparked a ton of outrage among fans. Kelly went undrafted last year, but earned a training camp contract with the Las Vegas Aces. She was also waived, much to the dismay of many fans. 

Harmoni Turner, a third-round pick in last year’s draft, will also get in on the action, suiting up for the Savannah Steel. Dallas Wings draftee Zee Spearman will join her on the team, as well as Megan McConnell, who was just waived by the Indiana Fever before the start of training camp. Another casualty of the Fever’s roster cuts, 2026 third-round pick Jessica Timmons, will play for the Greensboro Groove. 

Moreover, AD Durr, a former number-two pick for the New York Liberty, will play for the Charlotte Crown after not making a WNBA roster since 2022. 

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