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Emma Cannon, the WNBA’s exemplar of never giving up

(Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)

On the day of the 2022 WNBA Draft, Emma Cannon was kicking back and getting ready to watch it all unfold. Hours before the Atlanta Dream selected Kentucky alum Rhyne Howard with the first overall pick, Cannon thought about all of the other players who wouldn’t hear their names called.

So, she decided to put her thoughts in a tweet and share them with the women’s college basketball world.

“I knew the majority of [players] weren’t gonna make it. I wanted everyone to know that when one door closes, there’s always another opportunity,” says Cannon, 33, now in the fourth season of her stop-and-start WNBA career. “If you are willing to work at your craft and willing to get better, then go overseas. You can still make money, you can still make a name for yourself. Somebody will eventually see you.

“But don’t just give up. Don’t think it’s the end of the world because you didn’t make it to the WNBA. It’s not.”

Cannon knows what she’s talking about. Her tweet wasn’t just 240 characters of blind support. It shared words of wisdom based on her own lived experience.

Cannon took a different road to the WNBA. It was a longer and bumpier path than most players experience, but it led her to where she is today — back in the WNBA with the Indiana Fever.

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Cannon, defending Phoenix's Shey Peddy during a game in June, is known for her tenacity off the bench. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Western New York isn’t known as a women’s basketball mecca, but the area has produced some notable talent.

Rochester native and Miami alum Shanice Johnson, the fifth overall pick of the San Antonio Stars (now Las Vegas Aces) in 2012, spent five seasons with the Indiana Fever from 2015-19 and one with the Minnesota Lynx in 2020. Cierra Dillard, a 2019 second-round pick of the Lynx, and current college standout Dyaisha Fair are also from Rochester. They played for the University at Buffalo under head coach Felisha Legette-Jack, who was hired as the new head coach of her alma mater, Syracuse University, in the spring; Fair followed soon after as a transfer.

Cannon knew Johnson. Though they didn’t play for the same high school, they were close in age and crossed paths on the local basketball circuit. Like Johnson, Cannon went south to play college basketball at Central Florida instead of staying in the area.

“We have great talent here. But Rochester itself is like a lower-class city, so it’s hard to get out of there,” Cannon says. “So we try to make the best of what we can. I hate the snow, I’m not gonna lie. I ain’t no snowbird. That’s why I ran to Florida the first chance I could.”

At Central Florida, Cannon shined. She was named to Conference USA’s All-Freshman Team after averaging 11.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. As a sophomore, Cannon made the Conference USA First Team and broke the school record for rebounds in a single season with 393. She then transferred to Florida Southern — a Division II school — for her senior year and averaged 15.7 points and 12.1 rebounds per game.

Despite the numbers and accolades, Cannon’s senior campaign didn’t draw the attention from WNBA general managers and coaches as she had hoped. The 2011 draft came and went without her name being called.

“I really didn’t have too many thoughts,” she says candidly. “Like, OK, I didn’t make it to the WNBA. But I knew that I wanted to hoop.”

Cannon was playing with someone at the time who had competed overseas. The teammate said if Cannon was interested, she could help her pursue that career path.

Cannon jumped at the opportunity and secured an agent. She joined Osnabrucker SC in Germany, and then TSV Wasserburg after that, getting experience and visibility in the EuroCup League. For Cannon, it wasn’t just an opportunity to play professional basketball, but also to develop and grow as a player and travel the world.

“I took that and ran with it because I loved it,” she says. “But I knew in the back of my mind I always wanted to come home and play, because that’s home. You can’t get everyone to come overseas to watch you. I knew I wanted to get back to the W.”

While overseas, Cannon went toe-to-toe with some of the best players in the WNBA and held her own. What caught the eye of then-Phoenix Mercury head coach Sandy Brondello was Cannon’s performance in the Russian Premier League. Cannon played for Chevakata Vologda in 2017 and competed against UMMC Ekaterinburg, where Brondello was an assistant coach.

That season, Cannon led the team with 31 points and 12.5 rebounds per game. Brondello offered her a contract to play for the Mercury that same year.

“My mom was the first person that I called,” says Cannon. “I cried. It’s something that I wanted. It was crazy, because a lot of people at a certain age start to lose hope. A lot of people start to tell you it’s not possible, and you start to doubt. But I kept faith, I kept working. I worked my ass off every day. And I just knew that eventually, if it was meant to be, that it would happen.”

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Cannon and Diana Taurasi have stayed close since playing together for the first time in 2017. (Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)

Cannon fit in well with the Mercury from the start of the 2017 WNBA season. She and Brittney Griner became close friends and are “thick as thieves” to this day. She also bonded with WNBA legend Diana Taurasi.

“From the day I met her, I knew she was not only an amazing person but a great teammate,” Taurasi recalls. “And just to see her career evolve the last five or six years just tells you how hard of a worker she is. You know how much teams value what kind of a person she is.”

After one season in Phoenix, Cannon returned overseas. She signed with the Aces in 2020 and spent time with the Aces, Connecticut Sun and Indiana Fever in 2021 on hardship contracts. After averaging a double-double and winning an Israeli league championship with Elitzur Ramla in April, she returned to the Mercury for a brief stint earlier this season and has since landed back with the Fever.

Cannon’s willingness to come off the bench and do whatever teams need her to do is something coaches value. And she never takes the minutes she’s given on the court for granted, scrapping for 5.5 points and 2.4 rebounds across 19 games for Indiana this season.

No matter where she goes or how long she’s there — whether it’s one or two games or a month-long stay — Cannon always has the same outlook.

“You come in and you be yourself, period. You don’t dwell on who you are or what got you there, regardless of how long you’re playing [in a city],” she says. “It’s only 144 spots. So, when you’re called upon, you just gotta be thankful. Take the opportunity for what it is. For me having that opportunity with Connecticut, it led to me having an opportunity with Indiana. Take it and run with it.”

Sun head coach Curt Miller only coached Cannon for a handful of games during her time in Connecticut. But the impression she left on him is an indelible one.

“You’re not supposed to have a favorite as a coach, but [Emma] was one of my favorite people to coach,” Miller says. “I just love her personality, love that she’s so positive and can really help beyond her basketball statistics. I just think she can really help teams with her positivity.”

Cannon, Miller emphasizes, is in a tough spot as a veteran role player at this point in her career. Minimum contracts for veterans with three or more years of experience don’t always fit under teams’ salary caps, especially as those teams start committing more money to their star players. That makes it difficult for players in Cannon’s position to find a permanent home in the WNBA, even though her value is evident.

There’s no guarantee that Cannon will be on a WNBA team next season. Still, she’s content to maximize her role for the Fever, who are in last place at 5-27 and out of the playoffs but are wrapping up a crucial season for developing their young talent. When Cannon is on the bench, she’s one of the loudest cheering on her teammates. And when she’s on the floor, she’s giving it everything she’s got.

“Emma’s high work ethic is always the same, whether starting or coming off the bench,” says Fever general manager Lin Dunn. “She values her opportunity to be in the WNBA. Every team needs an Emma Cannon.”

Looking back on it now, Cannon wouldn’t change a thing. That bumpy road to the WNBA, the one off the beaten path, the one less traveled — it turned out to be a pretty fun and exciting ride.

“I feel like I’ve gotten the best of both worlds because I’ve played against a lot of WNBA players overseas before I even made it to the league,” Cannon says. “Work hard. Write down your goals. And go out and achieve them.”

Lyndsey D’Arcangelo is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports, covering the WNBA and college basketball. She also contributes to The Athletic and is the co-author of “Hail Mary: The Rise and Fall of the National Women’s Football League.” Follow Lyndsey on Twitter @darcangel21.

Caitlin Clark Player Edition Kobe 5 Sneakers Fly Off Nike’s Shelves

An image of the Nike Kobe V Protro sneakers designed by WNBA star Caitlin Clark.
The Nike Player Edition Kobe V Protros designed by Caitlin Clark sold out in minutes on Monday. (Nike)

The first Nike Player Edition sneakers designed by WNBA star Caitlin Clark sold out almost immediately on Monday morning, with fans snapping up the limited run of the Fever guard's Kobe 5 Protros within minutes of the 10 AM ET online drop.

Inspired by the Indiana Fever's colors, Clark's high-gloss Kobe shoes come in Midnight Blue with a tongue and additional accents in Bright Crimson, as well as "vibrant hits of University Gold."

Though Nike did not disclose actual stock numbers, multiple sneaker insiders estimated that Monday's release included just 13,000 pairs of Clark's edition.

Originally on sale for $190 through Nike's website, the Kobe 5 Protro PE is already topping $350 on the resale market.

Clark has been a Nike athlete since inking an NIL deal with the sportswear giant just before her junior NCAA season at the University of Iowa in October 2022, with the WNBA sophomore later signing a reported eight-year, $28 million endorsement contract just after finishing her collegiate career.

That current deal, inked just after the Indiana Fever selected Clark as the 2024 WNBA Draft's overall No. 1 pick, includes the release of a signature shoe.

While Nike still plans to add Clark to its signature shoe roster, the brand appears to be testing the market's waters using the guard's preferred on-court Kobe sneakers — to a sellout success.

How to buy the Caitlin Clark x Nike Kobe 5 Protro PE

Plans looking to pay retail prices for Clark's latest sneaker design will have to wait for Nike to restock, with online resellers like StockX, GOAT, and Flight Club currently selling the shoes at a significant markup.

Waivers, Trades Rattle WNBA Standings as Teams Hunt Midseason Boosts

Dallas Wings forward NaLyssa Smith looks down during a 2025 WNBA game.
Former Dallas Wings forward NaLyssa Smith was abruptly traded to the Las Vegas Aces on Monday. (Cooper Neill/NBAE via Getty Images)

With the 2025 WNBA All-Star break looming later this month, teams across the league aren't waiting for the August 7th deadline to pull the trigger on trades and waivers, significantly shaking up league rosters.

On Monday, Dallas abruptly traded forward NaLyssa Smith to the Las Vegas Aces in exchange for a 2027 first-round draft pick, surprising Smith and her Wings teammates — including girlfriend DiJonai Carrington.

"Sick to my stomach dawg, never seen this coming," Smith posted to X after the WNBA announced the trades, adding "if I could've chose anywhere to go it would've been Vegas, so hella excited [for] this new opportunity."

WNBA trades target future prospects

The recent WNBA trades both reflect the depth of options Dallas has in their frontcourt — most recently boosted by the Wings acquiring center Li Yueru from Seattle last month — and indicates the team's early play at a talented WNBA Draft class, with NCAA stars like USC's JuJu Watkins and Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo going pro in 2027.

At the same time, Smith's trade extends Las Vegas's first-round draft drought, with the Aces — who last added a first-round selection in 2022 — currently without an early draft pick until 2028.

As the Las Vegas focuses on leveling up this season, hoping Smith helps boost their current seventh-place league standing, the Aces also added roster cuts to their Monday trade.

Las Vegas handed out waivers to guard Tiffany Mitchell and second-year forward Elizabeth Kitley, who was selected 24th overall by the Aces in the 2024 WNBA Draft despite tearing her ACL at the end of her NCAA career.

Golden State Valkyries guard Julie Vanloo looks on during a 2025 WNBA game.
Golden State waived Belgian guard Julie Vanloo as she returned from winning the 2025 EuroBasket. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Golden State waives 2025 EuroBasket champ Vanloo

Making their own controversial Monday move was 2025 expansion side Golden State, as the Valkyries cut Belgian guard Julie Vanloo shortly after the 2025 EuroBasket champion rushed to return to California, skipping her national team's title-winning celebrations.

"Literally just touched down in the bay," Vanloo wrote on an Instagram story littered with broken heart emojis. "I need some time to process all of this man and put my feels into words. I can't right now."

While Golden State faces backlash for the timing of the cut, waiving Vanloo ultimately opens up a contract for the Valkyries, with rumors swirling that either guard Kaitlyn Chen or forward Laeticia Amihere will earn the roster spot after impressing as replacement players during European absences.

All in all, with WNBA roster space remaining at a premium, teams are making big swings in an effort to shore up their ranks as they push toward the 2025 season's halfway point.

Indiana Fever Face Minnesota Lynx at 2025 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Final

The Indiana Fever huddle during a 2025 WNBA game.
The Indiana Fever will play in their first-ever Commissioner's Cup final on Tuesday night. (Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)

The 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup final tips off on Tuesday night, when first-time finalist Indiana will look to upset reigning Cup champs Minnesota in a winner-take-all showdown for both bragging rights and the lion's share of the in-season tournament's prize pool.

With the total purse set at $500,000, athletes on the winning team will earn around $30,000 each — plus an additional $5,000 for the Commissioner's Cup final MVP — while losing players will take home $10,000.

While Tuesday's final won't count toward the regular-season WNBA standings, the battle will be the first meeting between the Lynx and Fever this year, adding first-clash drama to the already-high stakes.

"I think it's going to feel like a playoff game. It's going to be really fun," Lynx star Napheesa Collier told reporters, noting Minnesota's home-court advantage in the matchup. "Our fans show up for us every game, but especially in that environment ... it's going to be electrifying."

Despite the excitement, player availability could tip the scales in Tuesday's outcome, as both Collier and Fever guard Caitlin Clark contend with recent injuries.

While Collier returned from a lingering back issue without missing a beat last weekend, Clark missed Indiana's last two games due to a groin issue and is currently "questionable" to play for the Commissioner's Cup.

"I'm going to be day-to-day," Clark said on Sunday. "Doing everything I can to put myself in position to play the next game. That's always my goal."

How to watch tonight's WNBA Commissioner's Cup final

The Minnesota Lynx and Indiana Fever will take the court for the 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup final at 8 PM ET on Tuesday.

Live coverage of the in-season tournament's championship game will air on Prime.

WNBA Drops All-Star Game Starters, Taps Rookie Paige Bueckers

Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers celebrates a play during a 2025 WNBA game against the Indiana Fever.
Paige Bueckers is the only rookie to make the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game starting lineup. (Mercedes Oliver/NBAE via Getty Images)

The WNBA dropped its All-Star Game starters list on Monday, with just one rookie earning enough votes to feature on the star-studded 10-player lineup.

In addition to being the lone rookie, Dallas's No. 1 overall draft pick Paige Bueckers will be the only All-Star debutant playing in the game's first minutes, as the Wings guard joins nine previous All-Stars to tip off the July 19th matchup — giving her a presumptive edge in this year's Rookie of the Year race.

Joining Bueckers as WNBA All-Star starters will be team captains Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx) and Caitlin Clark (Indiana Fever), as well as Aliyah Boston (Indiana Fever), Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream), Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty), Nneka Ogwumike (Seattle Storm), Satou Sabally (Phoenix Mercury), Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty), and A'ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces).

A mix of 50% fan voting, 25% player voting, and 25% media voting determined the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game starting lineup — though the three groups did not necessarily come to a consensus.

For example, players ranked Clark ninth among guards, while the media put her in third. A record-setting 1.29 million fan votes boosted the Fever star into a captain's role.

As for players who fell just short of a starting position, like Indiana guard Kelsey Mitchell and Chicago forward Angel Reese fell just short of starting at their positions, their All-Star dreams aren't over yet.

Head coaches across the league will now vote to select 12 reserve players, likely adding both fan favorites and stat-sheet stars to the July 6th final All-Star player pool, with Collier and Clark building their teams from that list on July 8th.

Though reputation, skill, and popularity all factor into All-Star nods, this year's group is also underlining the depth of the WNBA's talent base.

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