WNBA and roster spots

[maxw]

According to many websites, the average WNBA career of a player is about 5 years (about 4.5 years for NBA). If that's true, then an average team should be replacing an average of about 20% of its roster each year, or about 2 players a year.

Wonder why the newly drafted players are struggling to make teams, even the first rounders.

 

[Rowdy831]

It looked to me like several teams weren't drafting for the purpose of improving their teams but rather to make cutting the draftee easier. I was also surprised a team like Dallas who had a good draft position took ALL guards. The clear winners to me were Chicago, who couldn't have done better and of course Indiana who basically completed a team that was really only missing one player.

In the end it looked like this draft class will come down to about 10 players that will have a meaningful role on a roster and I think two of them will be UConn players. Both of them ended up in pretty good fits as far as team needs and skillset match is concerned.

 

[DallasDomer]

Ten would be on the high side. For example just seven players from the 2021 draft were on rosters going into last season, even the #1 pick Charli Collier was cut.

It's a tough league and to make it you have to be ready upon arrival for stronger, taller, quicker players.

 

[omshanti]

Lou Lopez Senechal had surgery and her recovery was the reason for not playing last year. I think she is a keeper for the Wings. Good college players don’t always translate to good WNBA players.

Some college coaches, like Geno, prepare their athletes for the WNBA and the pro . Look at the UConn alum that are in the WNBA. They are prepared mentally and physically for the next level.

Some players are journeywomen and grind it out for years. Sug Sutton was an updrafted player for Phoenix who had the first triple double for the Mercury. So go figure…

 

[BRS24]

WNBA Confidential: Anonymous poll reveals more players want roster spots over expansion

A third of the WNBA took our survey. Which coach and organization did they say they'd most like to play for?

theathletic.com

The upshot (from September 2023) - in a poll where 1/3 of the league responded, 58% said they favored a largger roster over adding teams to the league. Comments included teams always in hardship mode, ability to develop from within.

 

[ConnManFan]

Expansion solves this. Greater revenue solves this. Expanding rosters does nothing to create more money. The answer to the revenue question should play out in the next year. Is there a CC bump or a CC boom?

 

[Bigboote]

This. Many players show up as rookies (or with 5-10 WNBA games under their belts) at the age of 25 or even 30, after playing in Europe/Asia/Australia for several years. A couple of years ago I was like, "Crystal Bradford, I don't remember her." She was 28 years old, had graduated college 6 years earlier and played a handful of games in the W soon after graduation.

 

[oldhusky]

For most of the contending teams 12 players is not the optimal number. The salary cap rewards taking that $70,000 or so you might spend on the 12th player, and instead upgrading players in the rotation, say $40,000 more on your 6th player and $30,000 on your 7th. You get more value by spending your money on rotation players and filling out the rest of the roster with near minimum players.

Teams near the bottom are different, they frequently can't spend their large cap space effectively, often overpaying for players to encourage them to go to a losing team. Usually they still have cap space for a 12th player and hope they can find a diamond in the rough that turns out to be a good value.

I think the top contenders also prefer to fill out the tail end of their roster with known vet minimum players, than rookie prospects. Expansion will help but the number of teams and the size of the maximum roster are still very small.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Huskies on W rosters:

Diana @ Phoenix
Tina @ Atlanta
Stef @ Washington
Kiah @ Vegas
Bria @ Vegas
Stewie @ New York
Moriah @ Connecticut
Phee @ Minnesota
Katie Lou @ Indiana
Kia @ Los Angeles
Azura @ Los Angeles
Crystal @ Dallas
Liv @ Connecticut
Christyn @ Phoenix
Dorka @ Minnesota
Lou @ Dallas
Liya @ Washington
Nika @ Seattle

Gabby is not on Seattle's roster, but is expected to be with Seattle next season.

Tiffany has retired from the W, but not from basketball. In fact, she will play in the Olympics.

Megan is doing well in Europe and may try for the W again.

Did I forget anyone?

 

[ochoopsfan]

Huskies on W rosters:

Diana @ Phoenix
Tina @ Atlanta
Stef @ Washington
Kiah @ Vegas
Bria @ Vegas
Stewie @ New York
Moriah @ Connecticut
Phee @ Minnesota
Katie Lou @ Indiana
Kia @ Los Angeles
Azura @ Los Angeles
Crystal @ Dallas
Liv @ Connecticut
Christyn @ Phoenix
Dorka @ Minnesota
Lou @ Dallas
Liya @ Washington
Nika @ Seattle

Gabby is not on Seattle's roster, but is expected to be with Seattle next season.

Tiffany has retired from the W, but not from basketball. In fact, she will play in the Olympics.

Megan is doing well in Europe and may try for the W again.

Did I forget anyone?

Adopted Karlie at Washington

 

[BB Dawg]

Lou Lopez Senechal had surgery and her recovery was the reason for not playing last year. I think she is a keeper for the Wings. Good college players don’t always translate to good WNBA players.

Some college coaches, like Geno, prepare their athletes for the WNBA and the pro . Look at the UConn alum that are in the WNBA. They are prepared mentally and physically for the next level.

Some players are journeywomen and grind it out for years. Sug Sutton was an updrafted player for Phoenix who had the first triple double for the Mercury. So go figure…

Now that they are getting a brighter spotlight on them and more money. This is their chance to improve all salaries. The W hasn't moved their needly for about 20 years. - Think they will have to change some of their ways. I believe they need to expand real soon. - Also, penalize the rough stuff. They usually target the rookies...(self preservation perhaps?) Do what they do in NBA, get your hands off the stars. - You don't want a journeyman ambushing Caitlyn Clarke and taking her out. - They pay higher salaries to the vets and don't have the money to get out of it...Just some of my thoughts...

 

[BB Dawg]

For most of the contending teams 12 players is not the optimal number. The salary cap rewards taking that $70,000 or so you might spend on the 12th player, and instead upgrading players in the rotation, say $40,000 more on your 6th player and $30,000 on your 7th. You get more value by spending your money on rotation players and filling out the rest of the roster with near minimum players.

Teams near the bottom are different, they frequently can't spend their large cap space effectively, often overpaying for players to encourage them to go to a losing team. Usually they still have cap space for a 12th player and hope they can find a diamond in the rough that turns out to be a good value.

I think the top contenders also prefer to fill out the tail end of their roster with known vet minimum players, than rookie prospects. Expansion will help but the number of teams and the size of the maximum roster are still very small.

That will all change now with higher audience, and if they play their cards right

 

[ConnManFan]

Don't forget that the contract is collectively bargained. The owners are going to pay more, but don't expect them to altruistically open the vault doors. The owners want a return on their losing investment for the past 20 years.

 

[BB Dawg]

Don't forget that the contract is collectively bargained. The owners are going to pay more, but don't expect them to altruistically open the vault doors. The owners want a return on their losing investment for the past 20 years.

If Caitlyn was not making 3 mil in endorsements, she would have held out for more than her $75,000 contact. She would make over 4 times in Europe. - Someone will come along and hold out eventually.

 

[Dogdude]

Expansion solves this. Greater revenue solves this. Expanding rosters does nothing to create more money. The answer to the revenue question should play out in the next year. Is there a CC bump or a CC boom?

Yeah. Paying a couple of more people minimum salary does nothing for a team's revenue or the league's popularity. A few more teams in larger cities will help, and yes, is the CC bump real and transferrable and does it have legs? We'll see... my guess is yeas, but maybe not enough to really move the needle. The Russian leagues were largely fueled by oligarchs showing off their money. In the U.S., owners want returns on investments one way or another.

 

[WLT1717]

It looked to me like several teams weren't drafting for the purpose of improving their teams but rather to make cutting the draftee easier. I was also surprised a team like Dallas who had a good draft position took ALL guards. The clear winners to me were Chicago, who couldn't have done better and of course Indiana who basically completed a team that was really only missing one player.

In the end it looked like this draft class will come down to about 10 players that will have a meaningful role on a roster and I think two of them will be UConn players. Both of them ended up in pretty good fits as far as team needs and skillset match is concerned.

It seems like the league only wants one incoming player per team for economic reasons. I find the talk of expansion insane. The 10+ year vets need to give way to the youngsters who all have much greater fan recognition and support.

 

[Huskie837]

WNBA needs to expand…

 

[DefenseBB]

I am not sure how many people are really paying attention but the WNBA is still subsidized by the NBA. How much is the debate. There is zero transparency on revenue and costs so no one really knows the viability of the league. While Caitlin did increase viewership this Collegiate season who knows what the long term viability is for her and the league. This could be a great year with the Olympics and this really dynamic class of rookies or it could be another Sabrina Ionescu effort that we all thought would really help but has barely moved the needle. Point is we have been down this road before and we can just hope for the best.
It has been 28 years already and no true financially successful plan can be given to ensure higher pay, more revenue and possible expansion.

 

[BB Dawg]

It seems like the league only wants one incoming player per team for economic reasons. I find the talk of expansion insane. The 10+ year vets need to give way to the youngsters who all have much greater fan recognition and support.

That is one of corrections that they have to do...They need to make all the correct moves now.

 

[Rowdy831]

Lou Lopez Senechal had surgery and her recovery was the reason for not playing last year. I think she is a keeper for the Wings. Good college players don’t always translate to good WNBA players.

Some college coaches, like Geno, prepare their athletes for the WNBA and the pro . Look at the UConn alum that are in the WNBA. They are prepared mentally and physically for the next level.

Some players are journeywomen and grind it out for years. Sug Sutton was an updrafted player for Phoenix who had the first triple double for the Mercury. So go figure…

I don't think Lou will make a WNBA roster. She was a good college player but not even a good college defender and in the WNBA you have to be able to do more than one thing, especially at the guard position. The good thing for her is WBB has a lot more opportunities in other countries so she could have a nice pro career anyway.

 

[Huskee11]

Huskies on W rosters:

Diana @ Phoenix
Tina @ Atlanta
Stef @ Washington
Kiah @ Vegas
Bria @ Vegas
Stewie @ New York
Moriah @ Connecticut
Phee @ Minnesota
Katie Lou @ Indiana
Kia @ Los Angeles
Azura @ Los Angeles
Crystal @ Dallas
Liv @ Connecticut
Christyn @ Phoenix
Dorka @ Minnesota
Lou @ Dallas
Liya @ Washington
Nika @ Seattle

Gabby is not on Seattle's roster, but is expected to be with Seattle next season.

Tiffany has retired from the W, but not from basketball. In fact, she will play in the Olympics.

Megan is doing well in Europe and may try for the W again.

Did I forget anyone?

Nice list!

18 total. That's impressive!

Every franchise represented except Chicago.

None with more than two but seven with two, four with one.

Hope they all make it!