One of Caitlin Clark’s most effective teammates at Iowa is now facing a harsh professional reality, but a growing chorus of experts believes her WNBA dream isn’t over.
Hannah Stuelke is facing the harsh reality of making the jump from college basketball to the WNBA. While she was a key player for Iowa through the years, not a single WNBA team picked the 22-year-old over the three rounds, forcing her into Free Agency.
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Projections placed her from the second round to the third round. But there were looming fears of her going undrafted leading up to draft night. For a starter at a major program like Iowa to go undrafted is an enormous deal and a rare occurrence. And while she can still get a training camp contract to challenge for a regular spot on the roster of any WNBA team, a developmental contract is another way to go, according to women’s basketball expert Cassie Chantel.
Chantel posted about Hannah Stuelke on Instagram, highlighting how she could have gone for a transfer instead of adjusting her roles to the team’s needs at Iowa. She also added that a developmental contract could be a safe gamble for WNBA teams on the Iowa forward.
Even though the 22-year-old was a starter for Iowa, there are aspects of her game that need polishing. And getting on the payroll with a developmental contract can be an ideal solution.
‘She’s a workhorse’ – Fans hope for developmental shot for the undrafted Hannah Stuelke
The fans are hoping Hannah Stuelke gets on a team, albeit on a developmental contract, which will help her work on her skillset while also enabling a team to add an experienced cover.
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One fan compared her to Aneesah Morrow, stating, “Somebody should! This girl is tough on the boards … reminds me of Morrow (hmmm, CT could use her).”
Similar in height to Morrow, Stuelke lacks volume but is also an elite rebounder and interior player like the Connecticut Sun star. While the 22-year-old will not be immediately impactful in rotation, she can act as cover for Morrow and continue working on her skills. The Sun is in the market for a big, having signed Raegan Beers to a training camp contract, and could perhaps take a chance on Stuelke, too.
Another pointed the 22-year-old in an obvious direction. They highlighted, “Sign her. She can run, and Caitlin will get her the ball for a layup. That’s about it, but she was at her best playing with Caitlin.”
Stuelke and Caitlin Clark enjoyed playing off each other on the floor. Stuelke’s speed and interior presence made her an automatic target for Caitlin’s feeds. This pick-and-roll combination peaked against Penn State as the 24-year-old guard assisted 11 of Stuelke’s 17 field goals, with the Iowa big producing a historic 47-point game.
The 22-year-old even joked about wishing she were in Aliyah Boston’s place receiving Caitlin Clark’s passes in the WNBA, and it could still come true. The Indiana Fever have signed second-round draft pick Justine Pissot to a developmental contract. But the other slot lies vacant, and perhaps, Stuelke can still join her Iowa teammate.
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One fan gave another reason for the Indiana Fever to bring in the 22-year-old. They nodded, “Agree. AB needs a backup, and she’s a workhorse.”
Aliyah Boston is coming fresh off an injury during Unrivaled and even had to miss the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers. While the Indiana Fever have stars like Damiris Dantas and Makayla Timpson, who can fill the void, bringing in Stuelke would add more cover and allow Boston to rest more during games.
Not to mention, Stuelke’s work ethic, speed, and chemistry with Caitlin Clark will allow Indiana to remain competitive during rotations.
Some had a contrasting view of Stuelke’s quality. They opined, “She’s not good enough- she never really got any better from freshman to senior year.”
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While statistically she has improved her game in most areas, Stuelke enjoyed her best scoring season while Caitlin was still at Iowa. Since her departure, her numbers, even though still consistent, have never matched those of the 2023-24 season.
Other areas, like her perimeter shooting and free-throw accuracy, continue to drive her stock down. In an era where teams are prioritizing perimeter threats in their offensive plays, Stuelke doesn’t possess a good three-pointer in her bag and is an easy fouling target because of her sub-60 free-throw shooting. In fact, her free-throw shooting has gotten worse in her senior year.
One fan gave an idea worth considering. They suggested, “Would love the WNBA to create a developmental league. It would help when they start increasing roster size (ever hopeful), and players like Hannah would be able to move up into open spots.”
The NBA has gained several quality players from its developmental league, the G-League. The NBA has gotten stars like Pascal Siakam, Defensive Player of the Year winner Rudy Gobert, three-point phenom Khris Middleton, and more through the G-League.
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Also, the NBA had started a G-League Ignite initiative that allowed players to jump to pro basketball while also continuing their development, with the program producing players like Jalen Green, Scoot Henderson, and Jonathan Kuminga, all of whom became top-10 picks in their respective drafts.
While the player pool doesn’t justify the governing body looking into this idea, the WNBA could use a developmental league like the G-League in the future.
