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The Year of the WNBA Draft Opt-Out: Major Players Making Bold Moves

By Scores.wiki Staff · March 25, 2026 at 09:36 PM ET

The Phoenix Suns have fired their head coach for the third time in 23 months, making Devin Booker set to have his eighth head coach in 11 seasons. Meanwhile, the New York Giants conducted a private workout with Shedeur Sanders, who will not be among the 17 players attending the NFL draft. The Masters' final round saw a 33% increase in viewership, averaging 12.7 million on CBS.

The WNBA draft of 2025 featured standout college players like Paige Bueckers and Hailey Van Lith. Notably, several top prospects opted to stay in school due to the new financial incentives provided by Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities, potentially earning more than the WNBA's rookie salary. Players like Olivia Miles and Ta'Niya Latson transferred schools, showcasing a trend of opting out of the draft to capitalize on collegiate NIL opportunities.