If refereeing is the “thankless” job of basketball, scouting might just be the most “scrutinized.” And in the W, it’s not only about drafting rookies or hunting free agents in the offseason – seven-day/hardship contracts are more common than ever. Whether those deals are a lifeline or a revolving door is still up for debate, but they make the entire scouting process feel precarious. And when the league’s most popular team is the one putting that process under the brightest spotlight, the scrutiny only intensifies.

How Stephanie White exposed the WNBA’s scouting loopholes

With slim roster space and a condensed season, injuries often open the door for others to get a shot back in the league. A basic hardship contract is allowed when two players are out long term, while an emergency hardship exception kicks in if a team drops below 10 available players. The Fever have made full use of these very rules by bringing in Aari McDonald, Chloe Bibby, Odyssey Sims, and now, on August 14, announcing the signing of guard Kyra Lambert to a seven-day deal after season-ending injuries to Sydney Colson and McDonald.

The surprise here is that Lambert has never played in the WNBA, spending her pro career overseas. But eyebrows really went up after head coach Stephanie White’s comments. Asked about her new guard, White admitted she didn’t know much about Lambert. “We’ve seen Odyssey [Sims] in this league, and we know what she does. Kyra is a little bit more unfamiliar,” White said. And when further asked if Lambert was on her radar earlier in the year, she simply replied, “No.” She did add that Lambert’s speed and quickness fit what the Fever need right now. However, when pressed on scouting, White said, “It’s all hands on deck. It’s seeing film, watching clips, talking to contacts and connections. The explanation made it sound less like a structured system and more like an informal network.

Sports broadcaster Robin Lundberg, on his YouTube channel, was quick to call it out, saying, “It appears they don’t have an exhaustive international scouting department, if they have one at all.” That’s not far off. As of last November, the Pacers listed eight scouts on their directory. The Fever, meanwhile, have zero, and they’re not alone. Teams like the Sky, Dream, Wings, and Lynx are in the same boat. Only the Liberty has a dedicated “scouting coordinator,” and it shows in their signings of international stars like Emma Meesseman, Leonie Fiebich, and Marine Johannès.

Meanwhile, organizations without that structure have stumbled, even with the home signings. The Fever’s high-profile addition of DeWanna Bonner ended with her asking out within months; she’s now in Phoenix. The Wings brought in Tyasha Harris, who’s out for the season, saw DiJonai Carrington join the Lynx, and lost NaLyssa Smith to Vegas.

Now, see…we understand that not every move works out, but these missteps highlight how crucial it is to have a real process in place. More because the NBA has it.

Why the NBA wins at international scouting

As Robin Lundberg pointed out, international players have become game-changers in the NBA. At this moment, roughly one-third of the league is made up of players from outside the United States, making global scouting more important than ever. Not long ago, international prospects often caught NBA teams’ attention mainly because of their height. But the game has evolved. With the rise of NBA development programs around the world, advances in technology, instant access to film via social media, and a more refined scouting process, the old model of “find a tall guy and hope” is quickly fading. 

The modern success stories like Luka Dončić, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokić, Joel Embiid, and Victor Wembanyama aren’t just big men; they are all-around talents identified through deeper evaluation. And how did it all come to life?

The NBA invests heavily in finding these players. As mentioned earlier, the Pacers list eight scouting positions. The Golden State Warriors also have eight scouts, including two focused solely on international talent. The Los Angeles Lakers have nine scouts, two of them dedicated to the global market. In fact, almost every NBA franchise employs at least two international scouts.

The contrast with the WNBA is stark. Teams like the Las Vegas Aces and even the champion frontrunners Minnesota Lynx, have no dedicated scouting roles listed. This lack of infrastructure is telling, especially when compared to the NBA’s deliberate approach.

Challenges are real, but the work has to begin….

Yes, we understand the hurdles..

• WNBA operates on a smaller scale
• It has fewer resources and less funding to invest in global scouting
• Its recent growth, while promising, has been rapid and concentrated, leaving little time to build deep scouting infrastructure

But we also have to note that…

And yet, even without a formalized system, the league has already brought in some remarkable talent from overseas, proof that there’s untapped potential waiting to be developed. Look at coach Sandy Brondello, who now leads the reigning champions, or the current roster of international standouts: Jonquel Jones, Kamilla Cardoso, Gabby Williams, Dominique Malonga, Stephanie Talbot, Aaliyah Edwards, and many more. The talent is there. What’s missing is a consistent, deliberate process to find and integrate it.

One immediate step could be maximizing existing tools, like the NBA Global Scout. This free mobile AI basketball training app, launched in 2020 in partnership with NEX Team Inc., was designed to identify players for both NBA and WNBA events. Accessible on an iPhone or iPad, it allows athletes to showcase their skills through drills modeled after the NBA Draft Combine. Using AI, it measures wingspan, vertical leap, agility, shooting, and overall skill. The app especially benefits players who lack resources or exposure. 

Also, beyond the app, the NBA has Academies in five countries, year-round development for elite prospects, and the Jr. NBA program reaching millions globally, initiatives that have already produced nearly 70 NBA-caliber players. NBA Global Scout debuted at the Basketball Without Borders Global Camp during NBA All-Star 2020. Players like Olivier-Maxence Prosper were among its early success stories. Each year, the NBA evaluates around 1,000 prospects through these programs. 

The WNBA is nominally included in the system, but in practice, the women’s side isn’t actively recruiting through it on the same scale. If the WNBA began using this platform and similar outreach more strategically, it could serve as an immediate bridge to better international scouting. 

But make no mistake: this would only be a stopgap. The long-term solution is a dedicated, well-funded, and transparent scouting network, modeled on the NBA’s but tailored for the women’s game. Hope WNBA gets it right soon.