Former No. 1 pick Charli Collier on WNBA cut: ‘Fuel to be great’

Former No. 1 overall pick Charli Collier isn’t letting her recent cut from the WNBA’s Dallas Wings get her down.

With the Wings’ decision to waive Collier, just seven players from the 2021 WNBA Draft remain on rosters ahead of the 2023 season. Of course, that number could decrease as teams look to make cuts before Thursday’s roster deadline.

“Today is a hard day, but I am proud of the work I have put in to get here and know there are better things ahead,” the 23-year-old wrote in a statement posted to social media. “I went overseas, grew as a person and got better. All the feedback I got through camp was positive.”

God doesn’t make mistakes. pic.twitter.com/DX9bPcdfpE

— Charli Collier™ (@charlicollier) May 17, 2023

In her two seasons in Dallas, Collier averaged 2.9 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. She was drafted No. 1 overall out of Texas and was named to the WNBA All-Rookie team in 2021.

Injuries in other positions kept the 6-5 center off the Wings’ roster, which is “a hard thing to hear,” she said. The Wings announced Thursday that 2023 first-round pick Lou Lopez Sénéchal will be sidelined six to eight weeks following knee surgery and Diamond DeShields will miss significant time with a knee injury.

“To be a No. 1 pick is a privilege and it comes with pressure, but I am thankful for every lesson and will use all the negativity that comes today as fuel to be great,” she continued. “Work is never done and I’m ready for my next opportunity.”