The Las Vegas Aces made a tough call in waiving rookie guard Deja Kelly, who had joined the team during training camp. Despite being a well-known name in the basketball world, Kelly went surprisingly undrafted in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
She quickly made her presence felt during the preseason. In her debut against the Dallas Wings, Kelly delivered an impressive performance, scoring nine points and adding an assist while shooting four of five from the field in just over seven minutes of play.
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In her second preseason appearance, this time against the Phoenix Mercury, Kelly lit it up again. She tallied 15 points, two assists, and shot five of seven from the field, including a three-pointer and a perfect showing from the free-throw line. She capped it off by hitting the game-winning shot. She did it all in under fourteen minutes of play.
Despite her standout showings, the Aces, boasting a deep and championship-caliber roster, couldn’t find a spot for the rookie guard.
Now, Kelly is speaking out about her release. On the Good Follow Show, she opened up emotionally about her time with the Aces. Reflecting on her game-winner against the Mercury, she said:
“I think first for me, it just felt like a sense of gratitude—just being able to be on the court in that moment, for Becky [Hammon] to trust me in that situation. It was A'ja’s night so–I was like we need to win this for her.”
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She added, “There was so many emotions around that.” “That was one of the best moments of my basketball career.”
“I’m not here to prove anyone wrong, I’m here to prove myself right.”
— Good Follow (@GoodFollowShow) May 13, 2025
Deja Kelly reflects on her WNBA debut, the game-winner that lit up preseason, and the belief that’s carrying her forward—because her story is far from over. 😤
More from @dejakelly25 & @rosgo21 here! 👇
📺:… pic.twitter.com/ATXuWO0Aoz
Teary-eyed, Kelly described how grateful she was to start her WNBA journey that way. She felt overwhelming support from her teammates, fans, and social media, saying:
“I think that’s the toughest part because it can be brutal sometimes.” “It was an opportunity that I’ll forever be thankful to that organization for because it built my character and my foundation for what’s to come in the future.”
Kelly made it clear she gave everything she had to prove she belonged, and she still believes the WNBA is exactly where she's meant to be.