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No matter what happens when the WNBA tips off its 2020 season on Saturday, kudos abundant to the league, its players and commissioner Engelbert for following the science to make a season happen in as safe a way as possible, with double Brava! shouts for their collective effort to seize the platform an active season provides to advocate for social justice. In so doing, the WNBA and its players are restoring an old standby of a comfort to millions of fans — sport. At a time in U.S. history when many people are riddled with the anxieties of a global pandemic, the resultant economic hardship, the brutal police killings of African Americans and the cries of justice stemming from them, the start of the season is a welcome and purposeful salve for the human condition that presents some less nerve-rattling, much more exciting unknowns.
For starters, how will the retooled rosters cohere in a bid for the 2020 WNBA Championship that is anyone’s for the taking?
Why WNBA rosters look so very different this year
The staying power of the league’s future Hall of Famers and the gaggle of players reaching and thriving in their prime means most 2020 WNBA Draft picks found themselves waived at the May 26 roster finalization deadline. With the coronavirus pandemic wrecking all the leagues’ schedules and forcing basketball to happen at single-site locations under quarantine, some of the WNBA’s biggest stars have opted out of the season amid health concerns.
Others, like Natasha Cloud and Renee Montgomery, have opted out to pursue social justice initiatives.
The 2020 season was scheduled to tip off on May 15. Now, play is slated to begin July 25 from the quarantine bubble of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida — a state where coronavirus cases have spiraled out of control.
A third category of player absenteeism has emerged because of the pandemic: players who tested positive for the coronavirus and are away from their teams but still intend to play. Sydney Colson of the Chicago Sky is on this list, and Natisha Hiedeman and Briann January of the Connecticut Sun have joined her. The Sun announced on Sunday that Hiedeman and January did not travel with the team to Florida. The guards are in self-isolation, according to the Sun, and expected to join the team in Florida after passing two negative tests for the coronavirus.
The vacated roster spots — whether for the whole season or temporarily — give some members of the 2020 draft class who were cut at the deadline a way into the league. Those openings have also allowed some non-rookies who were waived a pathway for return.
Teams arrived at the Bradenton “bubble” on June 6 and tweeted concerns about the cleanliness of the campus. Kayla Johnson tweeted a video she claims came from a player inside the bubble that shows water damage in a laundry area, mold or mildew on window blinds, a visible mousetrap and worms on a carpeted floor.
The next day, on June 7, New York Liberty guard Asia Durr tweeted that her decision to opt out of the 2020 season “as a medical High Risk player” after being diagnosed with COVID-19 in early June and undergoing a battle back to health she described as “complicated and arduous.”
With players potentially displeased with the conditions at IMG and cases of coronavirus in Florida now exploding, more roster shakeups are expected prior to tipoff of the abbreviated 22-game season.
Here’s where the rosters stand 24 hours prior to tipoff of the 2020 WNBA season:
WNBA Rosters 2020
Atlanta Dream
- Jaylyn Agnew (replaces Renee Montgomery, who opted out to pursue social justice initiatives)
- Monique Billings
- Brittany Brewer
- Kalani Brown* (will miss the season start)
- Chennedy Carter
- Blake Dietrick
- Glory Johnson*
- Alexis Jones
- Betnijah Laney (replaces Tiffany Hayes, who opted out for unspecified reasons)
- Erica McCall+ (added as “emergency medical hardship exception” for having fewer than 10 active players)
- Shekinna Stricklen
- Courtney Williams
- Elizabeth Williams
*Kalani Brown announced on Twitter July 24 that she tested positive for COVID-19 four days after arriving at IMG Academy. Due to ongoing symptoms, Brown remains in quarantine and will miss the season start. The Dream announced the same day that Glory Johnson also will miss the start of the season due to a prior positive coronavirus test since arriving in Florida; she remains in quarantine.
+After the addition of McCall, the Dream now have 13 women listed on their roster. The team has not made an announcement about players opting out or being excused on medical grounds since June 23, when it was revealed Tiffany Hayes would miss the season.
Chicago Sky
- Sydney Colson (diagnosed with the coronavirus/still on roster/has not joined team in Florida)
- Kahleah Copper
- Diamond DeShields
- Stefanie Dolson
- Ruthy Hebard
- Stella Johnson (added following Colson’s diagnosis)
- Cheyenne Parker
- Allie Quigley
- Azurá Stevens
- Courtney Vandersloot
- Gabby Williams
Jantel Lavender is out for the season following surgery to repair foot fracture. Assistant coach Bridget Pettis has stepped away from the team and will not be a part of the 2020 season.
Connecticut Sun
- DeWanna Bonner
- Kaila Charles
- Jacki Gemelos
- Natisha Hiedeman* (has joined team following COVID-19 diagnosis and recovery)
- Bria Holmes
- Briann January*
- Beatrice Mompremier (replaces Jonquel Jones, who opted out over coronavirus concerns)
- Brionna Jones
- Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis
- Theresa Plaisance
- Alyssa Thomas
- Jasmine Thomas
*The Sun announced that Briann January and Natisha Hiedeman did not travel with the team to the Bradenton, FL, “bubble” after testing positive for the coronavirus and entering self-isolation. The players are expected to join the team after clearing two negative tests for the virus.
Dallas Wings
- Bella Alarie
- Allisha Gray
- Megan Gustafson
- Tyasha Harris
- Isabella Harrison
- Moriah Jefferson
- Marina Mabrey
- Astou Ndour
- Arike Ogunbowale
- Satou Sabally
- Katie Lou Samuelson
- Kayla Thornton
Indiana Fever
- Natalie Achonwa
- Julie Allemand
- Kennedy Burke
- Lauren Cox
- Kathleen Doyle
- Candice Dupree
- Stephanie Mavunga (rejoins active roster to replace Betnijah Laney, who was released to the Dream)
- Teaira McCowan
- Kelsey Mitchell
- Tiffany Mitchell
- Victoria Vivians
- Erica Wheeler
Las Vegas Aces
- Lindsay Allen
- Dearica Hamby
- Kayla McBride
- Angel McCoughtry
- Danielle Robinson
- Sugar Rodgers
- Carolyn Swords
- Avery Warley-Talbot (replaces Liz Cambage, who is not expected to play due to coronavirus concerns)
- A’ja Wilson
- Jackie Young
Kelsey Plum is out for the season recovering from an Achilles injury. Liz Cambage is medically except from the season and will not play. The Aces waived Alex Bentley who was brought in during training camp.
Los Angeles Sparks
- Kristine Anigwe
- Seimone Augustus
- Te’a Cooper (replaces Kristi Toliver, who opted out of the season over coronavirus concerns)
- Chelsea Gray
- Reshanda Gray (replaces Chiney Ogwumike, who opted out of the season over coronavirus concerns)
- Marie Gülich
- Nneka Ogwumike
- Candace Parker
- Tierra Ruffin-Pratt
- Brittney Sykes
- Sydney Wiese
- Riquna Williams
Minnesota Lynx
- Kayla Alexander
- Rachel Banham
- Lexie Brown
- Bridget Carlton
- Karima Christmas-Kelly
- Napheesa Collier
- Crystal Dangerfield
- Damiris Dantas
- Sylvia Fowles
- Mikiah Herbert Harrigan
- Megan Huff (replaces Cecilia Zandalasini, who has opted out over coronavirus concerns)
- Shenise Johnson
New York Liberty
- Layshia Clarendon
- Sabrina Ionescu
- Jazmine Jones
- Joyner Holmes (replaces Rebecca Allen, who opted out of the season over coronavirus concerns)
- Kia Nurse
- Leaonna Odom
- Kylee Shook
- Kiah Stokes
- Megan Walker*
- Jocelyn Willoughby
- Amanda Zahui B
*The Liberty announced that Megan Walker did not travel with the team to the Bradenton, FL, “bubble” after testing positive for the coronavirus and entering self-isolation. The team expects Walker to eventually join them and passed along a message from the rookie: WEAR A MASK. PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING.
Asia Durr opted out of the season after being diagnosed with COVID-19 in June and still working toward a return to full health.
Phoenix Mercury
- Nia Coffey
- Sophie Cunningham
- Skylar Diggins-Smith
- Brittney Griner
- Bria Hartley
- Alanna Smith
- Diana Taurasi
- Brianna Turner
- Kia Vaughn
- Shatori Walker-Kimbrough
Jessica Breland, a cancer survivor, was granted a medical exemption. Penny Taylor has stepped away from her role as assistant coach to become a full-time mom. Chasity Melvin replaces her.
Seattle Storm
- Sue Bird
- Jordin Canada
- Alysha Clark
- Natasha Howard
- Crystal Langhorne
- Jewell Loyd
- Ezi Magbegor
- Epiphanny Prince
- Mercedes Russell
- Breanna Stewart
- Morgan Tuck
- Sami Whitcomb
Storm head coach Dan Hughes, who battled cancer last year, will miss the 2020 season because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Washington Mystic
- Ariel Atkins
- Essence Carson
- Alaina Coates (replaces LaToya Sanders, who opted out of the season over coronavirus concerns)
- Tianna Hawkins
- Myisha Hines-Allen
- Kiara Leslie
- Leilani Mitchell
- Emma Meesseman
- Shay Peddy (replaces Natasha Cloud, who opted out of the season to pursue social justice initiatives)
- Aerial Powers
Tina Charles (extrinsic asthma) was granted a medical exemption and will not play. Elena Delle Donne (Lyme disease) was denied a medical exemption, is unlikely to play.
This is a developing story. Updates will be provided as new information becomes available.