Shyanne Sellers Archives - Just Women's Sports

The Sun could be setting on Connecticut, with the WNBA team reportedly scouting a sale — and a possible relocation from their Uncasville home.

According to Sportico, the long-time franchise hired investment firm Allen & Company to look into selling the team, which has been owned and operated by the Mohegan Tribe since 2003.

The Sun's valuation most recently hit $80 million — a significant increase from the approximate $10 million paid to move the team from Orlando to Connecticut more than 20 years ago, but far lower than today's nine-figure going rate.

With a new CBA on the horizon and many of the league's top players up for free agency in 2026, some WNBA teams are having a difficult time keeping up with deep-pocketed owners entering the league — especially when it comes to player resources.

Expansion side Golden State will play their first official WNBA game on Friday, with two additional teams in Toronto and Portland joining the fray in 2026 — and rumors of more franchises on the way.

"If I'm being honest, I don't think you can be a team right now that's not looking into how to build a practice facility," Sun president Jennifer Rizzotti told the Hartford Courant earlier this year. "I don't think you can really compete for a player going forward if you're not able to say to them, 'Yes, we are doing this.'… You will not be in Connecticut without an ownership group that understands this."

A short commute could be in the cards for the Sun, with Boston displaying significant market potential after the team sold out the city's TD Garden in 2024.

The Sun will return to the home of the NBA's Celtics to take on the Indiana Fever for the pair's July 15th clash.

WNBA teams cut rookies loose

More WNBA teams made big cuts on Monday as teams strive to meet the league's 12-player squad maximum, with just days remaining before the final roster deadline.

Las Vegas completed their lineup by waiving undrafted rookie Deja Kelly on Monday.

The stunning decision comes after the 23-year-old Oregon alum put up nine points and an assist in seven minutes of play during the Aces' preseason matchup against Dallas, plus 15 points — including the game-winner — in just 13 minutes of play against the Phoenix Mercury last week.

The Seattle Storm has also reached roster compliance, waiving forward Brianna Fraser, third-round 2024 draft pick Mackenzie Holmes (Indiana), and 26th overall pick in this year's draft Serena Sundell (Kansas State).

Meanwhile, 2025's No. 2 overall pick Dominique Malonga joined the Storm's training camp from France this week.

After acquiring Shyanne Sellers — Golden State's 17th overall pick in the 2025 draft — just last week, the Atlanta Dream released the Maryland grad on Monday.

While cutting Sellers brought Atlanta's roster down to 12 players, the Dream still have additional cuts to make to meet WNBA salary cap requirements.

WNBA teams continued to trim their 2025 rosters this week, as preseason matchups set the stage for the league's May 16th regular-season tip-off.

After wrapping their 2025 preseason slate on Tuesday, Wednesday saw the Las Vegas Aces waive Harvard alum Harmoni Turner — drafted 35th overall last month — and fourth-year veteran center Queen Egbo.

Other standouts recently shown the door include Indiana Fever recruit Bree Hall (20th overall pick from South Carolina), the Seattle Storm's Madison Conner (29th overall pick from TCU), and Minnesota Lynx rookie Diamond Johnson (undrafted from Norfolk State).

While teams can sign up to 18 athletes to training camp rosters, they must whittle their lineups down to the league's regular-season max of 12 players, a system that sparks lots of movement — both in cuts and additions — in the days leading to tip off.

To that end, after the Golden State Valkyries cut their 17th overall draft pick Shyanne Sellers on Saturday, the Atlanta Dream snatched up the Maryland grad on waivers on Monday — just in time for their final preseason showdown with Indiana on Saturday.

Also receiving good news this week was Dallas's Maddy Siegrist, as the third-year forward saw the Wings exercise her fourth-year rookie option on Tuesday.

Alongside Indiana's 2023 WNBA Rookie of the Year Aliyah Boston, Villanova grad Siegrist and the former South Carolina standout are the only 2023 draftees officially on rosters before the 2025 season's start.

Flush with talent and low on roster spots, the WNBA has long been one of the hardest sports leagues to secure a place in — and even more fan favorites are likely to land on the chopping block in the coming days.

The WNBA starts a new chapter on Tuesday, as the Golden State Valkyries — the league's first expansion team since 2008 — take the court in a preseason showdown against fellow California side Los Angeles.

"It'll be our franchise's first game," Valkyries forward Kayla Thornton told the media from training camp. "I'm just excited to get to the court."

Drawing from both April's college draft and an earlier expansion draft within the league, the Valkyries' roster is still a work in progress as they attempt to form a distinct playing style under first-year head coach Natalie Nakase.

Backed by an inaugural training camp lineup that appears to prioritize international talent, the team already waived Maryland standout Shyanne Sellers after drafting the guard 17th overall last month.

Cinderella selection Kaitlyn Chen — taken No. 30 overall from 2025 national champion UConn's roster — is now Golden State's only NCAA draftee.

"It's just that I have to choose the best 12 that are going to fit. Doesn't mean it's the most talented, it means it's the best 12," Nakase said of the Saturday decision to waive Sellers.

Along with the pains of refining a 2025 roster and building team culture, the WNBA's 13th team — the league's first new addition since the Atlanta Dream joined — is also experiencing the natural growing pains of expansion.

Golden State Warriors Sports — the ownership group behind both the Valkyries and the NBA's Golden State Warriors — recently rebranded to simply "Golden State" to indicate equity among its properties.

How to watch the Golden State Valkyries in WNBA preseason

The Valkyries will make their WNBA debut in a preseason exhibition game against the LA Sparks at 10 PM ET on Tuesday.

The game will stream live on WNBA League Pass.

The WNBA tipped off its preseason slate this weekend, as early contenders stole the spotlight behind massive wins, signaling potential success in the 2025 regular-season.

The revamped Indiana Fever walked away as the weekend's big winner, taking down the Washington Mystics in a come-from-behind 79-74 overtime win on Saturday before dominating the Brazil national team 108-44 in front of a sold-out University of Iowa crowd on Sunday.

"I haven't played in, like, 200 days, so I was a little nervous going in," Fever star and Iowa alum Caitlin Clark said after Sunday's game. "The competitive spirit in me — you just want to play really good for these fans."

LSU grad Angel Reese and former Tigers transfer Hailey Van Lith also shined on the collegiate court, returning to Baton Rouge to help the Chicago Sky defeat Brazil 89-62 on Friday, with Reese noting, "I'm just happy to be back to see all the fans, even down to the security guards, because I know how much was put into this program."

Reese didn't skip a beat in her return from last year's season-ending wrist injury, claiming a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double in Friday's clash.

Meanwhile, rookie Van Lith scored her first professional points in the game, posting seven points, five assists, and three rebounds in her 13 minutes off the bench.

Like Van Lith, 2025's overall No. 1 draftee Paige Bueckers saw her first professional action on Friday, scoring 10 points in her Dallas Wings' 112-78 Friday loss to the Las Vegas Aces.

"It's super surreal in terms of the turnaround from where I was two weeks ago to where I am today, but [I'm] just soaking it up and enjoying every moment," Bueckers told reporters after the game.

Exhibitions aid roster decisions as cuts loom

While the results don't count, the weekend exhibition allowed coaches and viewers to evaluate fresh talent and new roster combinations ahead of the significant roster cuts that teams must make prior to the 2025 season tip-off on May 16th.

The season's first big-name roster cut came from Golden State on Saturday, when the Valkyries waived guard Shyanne Sellers after taking the standout Maryland alum No. 17 overall in last month's draft.

How to watch this week's WNBA preseason games

The preseason action continues this week with a trio of exhibitions on deck on Tuesday.

First, the Minnesota Lynx will visit the Chicago Sky at 7 PM ET before the LA Sparks square off against new California rival Golden State while the Phoenix Mercury takes on Las Vegas at 10 PM ET.

All games will stream live on WNBA League Pass.

Showing up in part to support fellow Husky and overall No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers, two additional UConn stars heard their names called during Monday night’s 2025 WNBA Draft.

On the heels of teammate Bueckers's draft night endorsement, both transfer guard Kaitlyn Chen and forward Aubrey Griffin emerged from the crowd to take the stage in the third round.

Incoming expansion team Golden State snapped up former Princeton standout Chen with the overall No. 30 selection, before the Minnesota Lynx grabbed Griffin with Monday's second-to-last pick.

"Honestly, [I'm] still in a little bit of shock…. I was really just here to watch Paige get drafted and I'm so happy for her," Chen told reporters afterwards. "I didn't really have any expectations coming into the night, but to be able to experience that with my team all around me and them all jumping and screaming was pretty amazing."

Griffin, whose pro dreams dimmed after suffering an ACL tear in January 2024, returned to Storrs for the 2024/25 NCAA season. This decision that earned her a national championship and a WNBA invitation.

"I honestly didn't think I would get picked," added Griffin. "I'm just super grateful that I can be able to continue playing the game that I love. I'm just lost for words right now."

NCAA stars snag surprise WNBA Draft picks

Other late-round addition included Maryland guard Shyanne Sellers and Iowa guard Lucy Olsen. Both players earned second-round invites from the Golden State Valkyries and the Washington Mystics, respectively.

Joining Chen and Griffin is Kansas State guard Serena Sundell. The third-round pick will vie for a spot on the Seattle Storm roster. Las Vegas Aces hopeful Harmoni Turner also went in the third round. Turner became Harvard's second-ever WNBA Draft night selectee.

Alabama star Sarah Ashlee Barker claims Monday's biggest Cinderella story.

A lower-profile colege recruit, Barker's breakout 45-point NCAA tournament performance boosted her stock. The LA Sparks subsequently selected her as the draft's overall No. 9 pick.

Two-time WNBA champion Kelsey Plum dropped her 12-player 2025 Dawg Class roster on Wednesday, inviting another generation of college talent to join her at an Under Armour training camp designed to help NCAA athletes transition to the pros.

The new LA Sparks guard experienced her own growing pains in making the professional leap. In response, Plum launched the camp in 2023, aiming to specifically address those struggles and aid future pros.

Each year, Plum invites both graduating and returning NCAA stars to the training camp, hoping to help them overcome or even bypass some of the hurdles she encountered when entering the WNBA.

"Dawg Class is all about changing the game for the next generation of women's basketball players," explained Plum before the 2024 edition.

"All of these athletes have extraordinary talent and skill, and it is my mission to help them with that transition to the next level by cultivating that 'dawg' mentality — the grit, self-confidence and work ethic — to continue to succeed and evolve in their careers."

2025 Dawg Camp taps NCAA champions, star freshmen

Now entering its third iteration, newly crowned Final Four Most Outstanding Player Azzi Fudd and her UConn teammate and fellow 2025 NCAA champ KK Arnold are both making Dawg Class returns — Fudd took part in the 2023 edition while Arnold capped her freshman season at Plum's 2024 camp.

Also returning to the elite roster are 2024 alums Shyanne Sellers (Maryland) and Georgia Amoore (Kentucky), with Amoore having featured on all three Dawg Class rosters so far.

Both Amoore and Sellers, as well as first-time invitee and Harvard senior Harmoni Turner — the 2024/25 Beck Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year — are turning pro this year, with the trio hoping to hear their names called during Monday's 2025 WNBA Draft.

Like Turner, eight other top college athletes are also making their Dawg Class debuts this year, including a quartet of the NCAA's most impressive freshmen: Michigan's Syla Swords, Ohio State's Jaloni Cambridge, USC's Kayleigh Heckel, and Vanderbilt's Mikayla Blakes.

Kelsey Plum's 2025 Under Armour Dawg Class

Georgia Amoore*, Kentucky
KK Arnold, UConn
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt
Zoe Brooks, NC State
Jaloni Cambridge, Ohio State
Azzi Fudd, UConn
Kayleigh Heckel, USC
Ashlon Jackson, Duke
Tessa Johnson, South Carolina
Shyanne Sellers*, Maryland
Syla Swords, Michigan
Harmoni Turner*, Harvard

*denotes players who have declared for the 2025 WNBA Draft

March Madness isn’t the only game in town this weekend, as Saturday’s College All-Star Game provides WNBA hopefuls one last showcase before April 14th’s draft.

Voted on by members of the media and former coaches, this year’s roster features four All-Americans — Izzy Higginbottom (Arkansas), Shyanne Sellers (Maryland), Makayla Timpson (Florida State), and Harmoni Turner (Harvard) — alongside 16 All-Conference honorees.

Team Miller head coach Cheryl Miller huddles with her team during the third quarter of the Women's College All-Star Game between Team Lieberman and Team Miller. — Basketball icon Cheryl Miller will coach Saturday's Women's College All-Star Game. (Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

All-Star Game showcases WNBA-bound talent

Saturday's matchup returned to Final Four Weekend in 2024 after an 18-year hiatus. The game gives seniors no longer playing in the NCAA tournament a chance to show off their skills in front of pro scouts and a sold-out crowd.

WNBA legends Nancy Lieberman and Cheryl Miller will coach two 10-player teams on Saturday. Longtime college coach Terri Mitchell serving as Game Ambassador.

An additional nine prospects are joining in for today’s All-Star Combine. Invitees include tournament standouts Michigan’s Jordan Hobbs and NC State’s Madison Hayes.

As college basketball grows more competitive, the game plays an important role in keeping the NCAA-to-WNBA pipeline moving.

How to watch the Women's College All-Star Game at the NCAA Final Four

The College All-Star Game tips off on Saturday at 3 PM ET, live on ESPN2.

After going shot-for-shot with No. 6 South Carolina for much of the first two quarters, No. 14 Maryland fell apart before halftime at Colonial Life Arena.

The Gamecocks went on a nine-point run in the final minute of the first half on their home court to secure a firm lead after 20 minutes of play. And their high rate of scoring continued for the rest of the game, adding to their historic start to the season.

South Carolina went on to beat Maryland by a score of 114-76 — the most points in a single game for the Gamecocks since 2020 and the most points against a ranked opponent in program history. Following on a 100-71 season-opening win against Notre Dame, South Carolina has scored at least 100 points in the first two games for the first time in program history.

“I actually think they’re better than last year,” Maryland head coach Brenda Frese said after the game.

The Gamecocks exploited the Terps’ zone defense and pulled them out of the paint. South Carolina pulled down a staggering 53 rebounds to Maryland’s 33, which allowed the Gamecocks to drop 28 second-chance points.

The Terps also struggled to maintain possession of the basketball — South Carolina forced 15 turnovers and was able to convert them to 23 points.

The game ended with seven Gamecocks scoring in double figures. And if the loss wasn’t enough for Maryland, its highest scorer, Shyanne Sellers, exited the game late in the fourth quarter with an apparent injury to her foot.

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley’s squad was said to be “renovating” its lineup this year after losing 2023 WNBA rookie of the year Aliyah Boston and other starters. Yet the Gamecocks are averaging 107 points per game.