The 2025 WNBA Draft is in the books. Paige Bueckers headlined the night, while Adja Kane closed it out as the final pick. In all, 38 players took a step closer to their dream, hoping to earn a spot in the league. But here’s something not every fan, especially newer ones, might realize: getting drafted doesn’t guarantee a spot on a WNBA roster. With training camps underway and preseason in full swing, roster cuts are coming fast. The league’s that tough. Golden State signee Laeticia Amihere said it best in a TikTok last year: “Whether you get drafted super high or last round, it’s free game. I got drafted first round last year, and I’m still trying out,” she shared. “Everybody got to try out.” With that, we have the information about Caitlin Clark’s Fever doing their first bits of roster cuts.

With the 19th, 20th, and 32nd picks in this year’s draft, the Indiana Fever selected Bree Hall, Makayla Timpson, and Yvonne Ejim. But with the Fever’s already stacked roster, it was clear from the start that cracking the final squad would be a tall order for most of them. And as expected, some cuts have followed after the first week of training camp.

According to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files, the Indiana Fever has waived third-round pick Bree Hall and free-agent signee Jillian Alleyne. He also notes that further changes will be made.

WNBA teams are allowed to carry 12 players, but due to salary cap constraints, the Indiana Fever will likely go into the season with just 11. Bree Hall, one of the recent cuts, was a cornerstone of one of South Carolina’s most successful recruiting classes, alongside Sania Feagin and Raven Johnson. She played a key role in helping the Gamecocks win two national championships during her time in college. Known for her defensive presence and ability to hit clutch shots, Hall averaged 5.8 points over 147 games at South Carolina.

Coming into training camp, five players were believed to be competing for just one roster spot. With Hall and Jillian Alleyne waived, that battle is now down to three: Timpson, Jaelyn Brown, and Yvonne Ejim.Here’s how the current Fever roster stands:

• DeWanna Bonner
• Aliyah Boston
• Jaelyn Brown
• Caitlin Clark
• Sydney Colson
• Sophie Cunningham
• Damiris Dantas
• Yvonne Ejim
• Natasha Howard
• Lexie Hull
• Kelsey Mitchell
• Makayla Timpson
• Brianna Turner

The WNBA journey might be over for now for Bree Hall due to league roster limitations—a reality that’s become a growing point of frustration for many. College basketball star Flau’jae Johnson also weighed in on the issue, expressing her concern about how tough it is for talented players to secure spots in the league.

Flau’jae weighs in on the WNBA roster limitations as Caitlin Clark loses another teammate

There are only 156 total roster spots in the entire WNBA. That’s 13 teams, each carrying a minimum of 11 and a maximum of just 12 players. So yeah, openings are rare. Unlike the NBA, there’s no G League equivalent in the WNBA. This is obviously frustrating for rookies like Bree Hall, who will either have to pursue their careers overseas or wait for another franchise to take a chance on them.

Flau’jae Johnson, who decided to stay in Baton Rouge for another year of eligibility, didn’t hold back when talking about the harsh reality of the WNBA. Speaking on the Best of Both Worlds podcast on April 18, she said, “What really just irritates me is like a lot of these girls probably would like never had a chance to get drafted—never thought they would get drafted. Right now, everybody’s celebrating, like these are lifelong dreams, and now they’re celebrating, and boom, you have to have roster cuts, like you know what I’m saying, it’s like a short-lived happiness.”

While it is frustrating for Caitlin Clark and co. to lose talented players like Hall and Alleyne, they know this is the reality of the sport they play. With roster limitations, there’s nothing they can do about it. The Fever will be looking to make a deep playoff run this season, and their current roster gives them the confidence to mount that challenge. Will they be able to do it? Only time will tell.