The WNBA is a cutthroat league. The limited number of roster spots on every team leads to highly talented college players being cut every year and players having to grind it out each offseason and preseason to try and make the cut.
For former Oregon Ducks star Deja Kelly, that grind has become a reality. After being named a three-time First-Team ACC All-American at North Carolina and then leading the Ducks to the NCAA tournament in 2024, Kelly went without hearing her name called in the WNBA draft earlier this spring. She signed a training camp contract with the Aces, and has been practicing and playing in preseason.
So far, she’s doing a good job of trying to earn a roster spot. Through two games, she’s averaging 12 points per game and adding 1.5 assists per game on 75% shooting from the field.
Kelly was particularly impressive on Tuesday night in the Aces’ preseason win over the Chicago Sky, where she scored 15 points with two assists. More importantly, she came up in the clutch, scoring three straight buckets late in the fourth quarter to help clinch the 85-84 win.
That performance was good enough for Kelly to survive the first round of roster cuts. Las Vegas cut down from 16 to 14 players on Wednesday, releasing Queen Egbo and Harmoni Turner. WNBA teams have to cut down to 12 players by the start of the regular season on May 16, and many choose to go with 11-player rosters to allow for more flexibility when it comes to cap space.
If Kelly continues to play like she has in the preseason, it’s not hard to think that she could make the final roster in Las Vegas. However, with a pair of championships in 2022 and 2023, the Aces are an elite team with a stacked roster, so earning a spot won’t come easily.
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