At W, roster space is more exclusive than a VIP list, and talent alone often isn’t enough. For Deja Kelly, that harsh reality hit this week. Despite her standout preseason performance, the Aces waived the former Oregon and North Carolina star. But don’t expect bitterness from the 2025 draft hopeful!

When Kelly’s name wasn’t called on WNBA Draft night, there was widespread surprise. A three-time All-ACC selection and former McDonald’s All-American, she had the resume, the flair, and the leadership credentials. But the WNBA draft is a numbers game, and with only 156 roster spots league-wide, dreams often face roadblocks.

Still, just days after the draft, opportunity knocked in the form of a training camp contract with the back-to-back champions Las Vegas Aces. And she made sure to remind everyone why. Across two preseason games, Kelly wasted no time. She averaged 12.0 points per game on a blistering 75% shooting clip, added 1.5 assists in just 10 minutes per game, and delivered what can only be described as a “remember me” moment. But the cherry on top? A cold-blooded midrange jumper in the final seconds to give Las Vegas a one-point lead—essentially, the game-winner

With performances like that, many assumed Kelly had solidified her spot on the Aces’ final roster. She even participated in media day. But now she’s waived off and has got a special message. In a post-cut interview, she reflected on the journey with remarkable poise.

“I just wanted to take advantage and seize the moment at the end of that game and really give my all… not to prove anyone else wrong, but to prove myself right,” she shared. “I know I belong. I know this is where I’m supposed to be. And for Coach Becky [Hammon] to trust me with the ball in my hands at that time—it just built a different level of confidence for me going into this next phase of my WNBA career.”

Kelly joins Shyanne Sellers, Bree Hall, Yvonne Ejim, and fellow Aces newbie, Harmoni Turner as talents names to be waived from the teams this year. So she is back to being a free agent now, a thought she’d have dreaded to pay heed to as an Oregon Duck averaging 2.2 points on a career-high 38.6 field goal percentage plus 4.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. But here we are.

Deja Kelly faces betrayal from Aces’ for obvious reasons

When the Aces waived Deja Kelly, they had a roster of 14 players. So obviously, the team had options to choose from. Alongside her were fellow camp invitees Cheyenne Parker-Tyus and Crystal Bradford, also fighting for a spot. Meanwhile, Kierstan Bell, Aaliyah Nye, and Elizabeth Kitley entered on rookie contracts—each with potential but plenty to prove.

But none, except Kelly, shone on the court in preseason games. While she logged 13 minutes off the bench and dropped nine points, Bell, Nye, and Bradford—the very players the team opted to keep—combined for zero points in 23 total minutes.

So why was she waived? Well, it seems the answer is height.

The move comes after Head Coach Becky Hammon strategically added size to the roster for the 2025 WNBA season, aiming to bolster the frontcourt presence and return to championship contention. “We can’t run if we don’t rebound. We’ve got to secure the ball and finish out our defensive possessions in order to run the other end,” Hammon shared.

So, clearly, Kelly wasn’t serving that purpose. In both of her preseason games, she grabbed zero rebounds. And with the average height on the Aces sitting at 1.85 meters, Kelly, standing at just 1.75, simply didn’t fit the physical mold the team is trying to build around.

Still, the roster move hasn’t been fully finalized. Even after waiving Deja Kelly a day ago, the Aces are sitting at 13 players. That means one more cut is coming, and it could be any of the remaining —rookies and camp invitees alike. So, who’s next? With the final roster cut looming on May 16, all eyes are on Hammon and the Aces.