WNBA: Could Aces’ sharpshooting rookie elevate them back to a title?

The 2025 WNBA Draft was one for the record books. It became the second-most viewed draft in league history, while also surpassing the viewership of both the NHL and MLB drafts from this past year. This marked a(nother) major jump in support for the future of women’s professional sports and the WNBA.

The Las Vegas Aces had two picks in the draft and they went small, opting to draft two guards: Alabama’s Aaliyah Nye at No. 13 and Harvard’s Harmoni Turner at No. 35. The team also signed Oregon’s Deja Kelly to a training camp contract, giving her an opportunity to showcase her talents in a bid for a spot on the team’s final roster.

A lot of talent could join the Aces in a short amount of time. So the big question remains: Who can make their case for the final roster?

Aaliyah Nye

Aaliyah Nye is coming off of a lengthy college career between Illinois and Alabama with her senior season being arguably her best. Standing at 6-foot-0, Nye finished this season with the Crimson Tide averaging 15.2 points, 1.4 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game on just over 45 percent shooting from the field and behind the arc.

Nye has a great chance of cracking a spot on this final roster. Her size, skill, and extended college tenure suggest she could contribute as an incoming rookie. It will be interesting to see how the Aces move forward with Nye throughout camp.

Harmoni Turner

Harmoni Turner is coming off four years at Harvard where her senior season also was her best season—by far. Turner offered up 22.5 points, 3.4 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game on 43 percent shooting; she was named the 2024-25 Ivy League Player of the Year.

Turner has the tool set to be a great player in the W, but, despite having great numbers, the concern lies with the talent she faced at Harvard, which doesn’t compare to that of the WNBA. However, if Turner can show flashes of what she showcased at Harvard, it would not be stunning to see her on the Aces’ final roster.

Deja Kelly

Deja Kelly signed a training camp deal with the Aces after going undrafted in the 2025 WNBA Draft. Kelly’s scoring production took a little bit of a dip this season as she transferred to Oregon after spending the past four years at North Carolina. Despite Kelly posting her lowest points-per-game total since her freshman year with 12.2 points per game, she displayed career highs with 4.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game, along with 38 percent shooting from the field.

Kelly is the biggest wildcard when it comes to making this final roster. Sure, her stats may not be the most glamorous of this batch of talent, and she was the only player not drafted, but Kelly has been a part of two high-level college programs and has been recognized as a pro-caliber player throughout her college career. Kelly will have a chance to prove her talent and demonstrate the impact she can make on both ends of the floor.