Alecia “Sug” Sutton was waived by the Washington Mystics on Sunday. She was drafted 36th overall in the 2020 WNBA Draft. | Getty Images
WNBA teams have until May 26 to whittle down their rosters to 12 women apiece. For a league receiving an influx of new talent every year through the draft, and some of the league’s biggest stars playing into their late-30s, this is no easy task. For recent draftees, the 2020 roster-cut deadline is especially painful.
The defending champion Washington Mystics announced on Sunday their decision to waive Jaylen Agnew and Alecia “Sug” Sutton in pursuit of the May 26 roster finalization deadline by which the 12 teams of the WNBA must whittle their rosters to 12 women each.
For Agnew, the final pick of the second round in the 2020 WNBA Draft, and Sutton, the final pick in the third round, it is a case of “last one in, first one out.”
Additionally for Agnew and Sutton, plus Erica Ogwumike (26th pick), who was waived on Sunday by the Minnesota Lynx, the roster-cut deadline of 2020 is especially painful. Due to stay-at-home orders and social distancing guidelines stemming from the coronavirus pandemic, they, and the 33 order selections in this year’s draft, did not benefit from the opportunity to earn a roster spot through team training camps.
The painful cuts cannot be blamed solely on the absence of training camps this year, however. With just 144 total roster spots to fill, competition is fierce every year, and increasingly so in recent times. The talent emerging from the collegiate ranks has never had more depth and Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi, both closer in age to 40 than 35, are redefining the term “career longevity,” with other veteran players also sporting proud membership to that club.
Cierra Dillard — a star at Buffalo who was drafted 20th overall in 2019 — was waived by the Lynx and Los Angeles Sparks prior to the start of the 2019 season and went on to play professionally in Spain. She, and many others like her, still seek a turn in the WNBA, and Dillard thinks opening more roster spots is the way to have that happen.
In an interview last year, Dillard suggested the league allow teams to “… have an extended roster through, maybe June 15.” Allowing 15 women on each roster, for example, even if for a temporarily extended period, would give more of the elite athletes vying for WNBA glory opportunities to succeed. Additionally, coaches and general managers would have more material and time with which to assess players and make decisions.
But this is 2020. The roster limit is 12 players and there are 12 teams.
Here is where each team stands on the way to whittling their rosters:
Originally published on Tuesday, May 26, at 1 p.m. ET.
Atlanta Dream
- Elina Babkina
- Monique Billings
- Brittany Brewer
- Kalani Brown
- Chennedy Carter
- Maite Cazorla
- Alaina Coates
- Blake Dietrick
- Tiffany Hayes
- Glory Johnson
- Alexis Jones
- Renee Montgomery
- Shekinna Stricklen
- Kobi Thornton
- Courtney Williams
- Elizabeth Williams
Cuts: Coming soon …
Chicago Sky
- Sydney Colson
- Kahleah Copper
- Japreece Dean
- Diamond DeShields
- Stefanie Dolson
- Kiah Gillespie
- Ruthy Hebard
- Jantel Lavender
- Cheyenne Parker
- Alexis Prince
- Allie Quigley
- Azurá Stevens
- Courtney Vandersloot
- Gabby Williams
Cuts: Coming soon …
Connecticut Sun
- DeWanna Bonner
- Kaila Charles
- Natisha Hiedeman
- Bria Holmes
- Briann January
- Jonquel Jones
- Brionna Jones
- Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis
- Theresa Plaisance
- Alyssa Thomas
- Jasmine Thomas
Cuts: Valeriane Ayayi, Jacki Gemelos, Jazmon Gwathmey, Megan Huff, Juicy Landrum.
Dallas Wings
- Bella Alarie
- Kristine Anigwe
- Luisa Geiselsöder
- Allisha Gray
- Megan Gustafson
- Tyasha Harris
- Isabella Harrison
- Moriah Jefferson
- Marina Mabrey
- Astou Ndour
- Arike Ogunbowale
- Satou Sabally
- Katie Lou Samuelson
- Karlie Samuelson
- Kayla Thornton
Cuts: Morgan Bertsch, Kaela Davis.
Out for season: Imani McGee-Stafford (law school).
Indiana Fever
- Natalie Achonwa
- Julie Allemand
- Kennedy Burke
- Lauren Cox
- Kathleen Doyle
- Candice Dupree
- Betnijah Laney
- Stephanie Mavunga
- Teaira McCowan
- Kelsey Mitchell
- Tiffany Mitchell
- Victoria Vivians
- Erica Wheeler
Cuts: Jessica January, Paris Kea, Erica McCall, Kamiah Smalls.
Las Vegas Aces
- Lindsay Allen
- Liz Cambage
- Dearica Hamby
- Kayla McBride
- Angel McCoughtry
- Kelsey Plum
- Danielle Robinson
- Sugar Rodgers
- Carolyn Swords
- A’ja Wilson
- Jackie Young
Cuts: Lauren Manis, Raisa Musina, Avery Warley-Talbert.
Out for season: JiSu Park (personal decision).
Los Angeles Sparks
- Seimone Augustus
- Leonie Fiebich
- Chelsea Gray
- Marie Gülich
- Tynice Martin
- Dominique McBryde
- Beatrice Mompremier
- Chine Ogwumike
- Nneka Ogwumike
- Candace Parker
- Tierra Ruffin-Pratt
- Brittney Sykes
- Kristi Toliver
- Maria Vadeeva
- Sydney Wiese
- Riquna Williams
Cuts: Coming soon …
Minnesota Lynx
- Kayla Alexander
- Rachel Banham
- Lexie Brown
- Karima Christmas-Kelly
- Napheesa Collier
- Crystal Dangerfield
- Damiris Dantas
- Sylvia Fowles
- Mikiah Herbert Harrigan
- Shenise Johnson
- Jessica Shepard
- Odyssey Sims
- Cecilia Zandalasini
Cuts: Linnae Harper, Erica Ogwumike.
New York Liberty
- Rebecca Allen
- Layshia Clarendon
- Asia Durr
- Reshanda Gray
- Sabrina Ionescu
- Marine Johannes
- Jazmine Jones
- Kia Nurse
- Leaonna Odom
- Kylee Shook
- Kiah Stokes
- Megan Walker
- Jocelyn Willouh=ghby
- Amanda Zahui B
Cuts: Brittany Boyd, Reshanda Gray, Tayler Hill.
Out for season: Han Xu (overseas), Marine Johannés (overseas), Stephanie Talbot (personal decision).
Phoenix Mercury
- Sara Blicavs
- Jessica Breland
- Nia Coffey
- Te’a Cooper
- Sophie Cunningham
- Skylar Diggins-Smith
- Olivia Epoupa
- Brittney Griner
- Bria Hartley
- Stella Johnson
- Alanna Smith
- Diana Taurasi
- Brianna Turner
- Kia Vaughn
- Shatori Walker-Kimbrough
Cuts: Coming soon …
Seattle Storm
- Sue Bird
- Jordin Canada
- Alysha Clark
- Natasha Howard
- Crystal Langhorne
- Jewell Loyd
- Ezi Magbegor
- Epiphanny Prince
- Mercedes Russell
- Breanna Stewart
- Morgan Tuck
- Sami Whitcomb
Cuts: Haley Gorecki, Joyner Holmes.
Washington Mystic
- Ariel Atkins
- Tina Charles
- Natasha Cloud
- Elena Delle Donne
- Tianna Hawkins
- Myisha Hines-Allen
- Kiara Leslie
- Leilani Mitchell
- Emma Meesseman
- Aerial Powers
- LaToya Sanders
Cuts: Jaylen Agnew, Rebecca Greenwell, Alecia “Sug” Sutton.
This is a developing story. Updates will be provided as new information becomes available.