The 6 biggest names cut by WNBA teams this week, including Ruthy Hebard

Expansion for the WNBA can’t come soon enough.

We’ll get a team in California’s Bay Area in 2025, and another franchise in Toronto – apparently – in 2026, but until then the WNBA continues to be one of the toughest leagues to make a roster in. With just 12 teams and 12 full-time roster spots, it’s a league made up of just 144 players – the best of the best in the world of women’s basketball. Those roster spots are treasured, cherished and hard to come by. Super talented players get pushed out all the time.

And so, with the WNBA season starting in a few days, rosters have been crunched in recent days. Among the casualties were players drafted this year – as high as the second round – former champions and other big names.

Here’s a closer look at the players squeezed out this season, a group that wouldn’t be a bad starter set for one of the future expansion teams.