38 young talents heard their names called during the 2025 WNBA Draft. That moment, whether it came with tears, cheers, or just stunned silence, was the culmination of everything they’ve worked toward. Years of sacrifice, grind, and hustle for that one big leap into the pros. And while it should be all sunshine and confetti from here, well… the road ahead is anything but easy.

Sure, Paige Bueckers can sleep easy. The No. 1 pick has her spot all but laminated. But for most of the other rookies, training camps open in less than two weeks, and things are about to get real. Just because you’re drafted doesn’t mean you’re staying. Harsh but true. Every year, a few dozen fresh-faced hoopers get the draft night call. They pack up, head to training camp, and pour their hearts into every drill. But by the time final rosters drop in May, about half of them are out. That’s not a knock on talent. That’s just the numbers.

Before this season, the WNBA had 12 teams. Each team is allowed a 12-player roster. But most of them don’t even fill all 12 spots because of the hard salary cap. So, we were often looking at just 11 players per squad. That’s maybe 144 total jobs in the entire league. And there’s no G League safety net here. No place to develop or wait in the wings. If you don’t make it, chances are you’re headed overseas.

“Don’t stop supporting them—even if they get cut, does not mean they’re bad,” said Golden State signee Laeticia Amihere in a TikTok last year. “That’s just how the league is.” Where’s the lie?

Now, there’s some hope this year. The Golden State Valkyries have entered the picture, bumping up roster spots from 144 to 156. A small but welcome relief. Plus, because the Las Vegas Aces lost their 2025 first-rounder, we got a slightly shifted draft format—12 picks in Round 1, and 13 each in the next two.

But you know what? It’s still a ruthless battle. Teams even often draft international players with no intent to bring them in immediately. They “stash” them overseas and keep it moving. Yes, some draftees like Kiki Iriafen from USC or Dominique Malonga from France are projected to make rosters. And the Connecticut Sun, after a messy offseason, are sniffing around for fresh talent too. But for a lot of these rookies like Aneesah Morrow, Georgia Amoore, Sonia Citron, Aziaha James (and more, even the first round picks), they’re walking into a storm.

And fans are not staying quiet. Twitter’s been buzzing with frustration, calling out the league’s limited capacity and asking the one question we’re all thinking: Why are we letting talent go to waste?

Fans demand roster spots while talent gets left behind

One fan summed it up, “It makes me feel so bad that the girls be celebrating and then jump straight to training camp. Then the roster cuts. Horrible.” It was all celebrations. Some were vibing in New York as official invitees, others were hugging it out in a cozy room with family. But what’s next is a fight to even stick around. 

Unlike the NBA, where teams carry 15 players plus three two-ways, the WNBA barely has space. And the numbers don’t lie. Only 13 rookies made opening day rosters last year (and that was the elite Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese class), 15 the year before, and 17 in 2022. Take Abby Meyers, for instance. She was the 11th overall pick in 2023 after shining at Maryland. Dallas drafted her, and then waived her before she could even clock regular-season minutes.

And just when you think that’s enough pressure, another fan chimed in: “It’s genuinely sick. Especially adding more games and not adding more roster spots.” The WNBA expanded its schedule to 44 games per team in 2025, up from 40 last season. That’s the longest regular season ever in league history. But here’s the catch. More games, same tiny roster sizes. So now it’s a heavier workload with even fewer players to carry it.

Another added how it broke their heart watching all these excited faces on draft night, knowing full well what’s coming. “No MLB minor leagues, NFL practice squad, or NBA G League to retain or develop. Again, such a bummer,” they wrote. We already know that each NBA team has an affiliated G League team, a whole minor league system that actually works great. Then, while the NFL doesn’t have a traditional minor league, it has practice squads, where players can still learn and be activated later. MLB has a minor league system with multiple levels. This Triple-A, Double-A structure enables players to progress through the ranks.

But the WNBA has nothing. No backup plan, no development route.  

And while it’s tough out there, there have been stories of players who made it eventually. Alysha Clark, for example, got drafted 17th overall back in 2010 but didn’t make a roster right away. She had to wait three whole years before signing with Seattle, and once she did, she became a two-time (third with Aces) W champ and one of the league’s most feared defenders. But again…three seasons just waiting in limbo? That’s the system right now.

So fans are loud about the changes they want. One straight-up said, “Need that new CBA to expand rosters with a quickness.” The WNBPA already opted out of the current CBA, which ends in October 2025. Players want more than just roster expansion—they want better pay, stronger benefits, and support for the rising talent. Whether or not the league listens is still up in the air, but fans are not letting this go quietly.

“Life, but expansion will help,” one person wrote. Because while roster size is half the issue, team expansion could be the other half of the fix. Sure, the Golden State Valkyries join this year, but the real shift comes in 2026 when the Toronto Tempo and a yet-unnamed Portland team hop in. 

That boosts total roster spots from 156 to 180. And who knows, if this new CBA works in favor of the players, we might finally see more than 12 per team. So for the time being, let’s wait and see who makes it to the roster, and here’s to hoping no talent gets wasted till we get a roster expansion.