The 2026 WNBA season kicks off on Friday, so teams are starting to finalize their rosters. That being said, the Chicago Sky, Dallas Wings, Phoenix Mercury, Connecticut Sun and Las Vegas Aces have started releasing players on Monday to meet the 12-player requirement.
Among the biggest WNBA news of the day was Hailey Van Lith‘s release from the Sky after just one season. Chicago drafted Van Lith 11th overall in the 2025 Draft, but before she can even land a bigger role on the team, she was waived.
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On other WNBA developments, some teams won’t be entering the season fully healthy. The Indiana Fever and New York Liberty are both dealing with injuries to key players, putting their availability for the start of the season in question.
Here’s the latest roundup of the most noteworthy WNBA news of the day.
Former Chicago Sky guard Hailey Van Lith (2) looks on during a game.Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images
Lexie Hull was unable to play for the Fever in their three preseason games due to a hamstring injury. However, she did provide an encouraging update on Monday during Indiana’s practice, sharing that she feels “great.”
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Hull added that she’s hopeful that she’ll be able to suit up for their season opener on Saturday, when the Fever face the Wings.
On the other hand, Monique Billings, who suffered an ankle injury during their final preseason game against Nigeria last Saturday, did not practice on Monday. Her status remains a major question mark, with head coach Stephanie White saying that they are “going to keep evaluating” her “day-by-day.”
Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu injured her ankle during their preseason game against the Connecticut Sun on Sunday. While her MRI didn’t reveal a “significant injury,” she still needs time to recover.
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According to Madeline Kenney of the New York Post, Ionescu is set to miss at least two weeks as she recovers from her ankle issue. That means she is set to miss the Liberty’s first four games of the season, at the very least.
The Liberty will play the Sun in their opener before facing the Washington Mystics and Portland Fire through May 14. After that, they have a week-long break before taking on the Golden State Valkyries on May 21.
Sure enough, New York will be hopeful that Ionescu will show progress when she’s re-evaluated in two weeks and gets more time to prepare for a potential return against the Valkyries.
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Sky, Others Release 14 Players Before WNBA Season
A total of 14 players were waived on Monday, led by the Wings who released six players.
Former Fever first-round pick Grace Berger, who suited up in 18 games for Dallas last season, was among those players cut. Lindsay Allen, Amy Okonkwo, Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu, Costanza Verona and Rayah Marshall were all released as well.
As for the Sky, they released Maddy Westbeld and Aicha Coulibaly, alongside Van Lith. However, they did add one player, signing free agent Natasha Cloud to a reported one-year, $555,000 deal, according to Kendra Andrews of ESPN.
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The Sun also waived three players: Harmoni Turner, Kyla Oldacre and Mamignan Toure.
As for the Aces, the team cut Jordan Obi. The Mercury, meanwhile, parted ways with Shay Ciezki.
Related: Caitlin Clark’s Comment Hints at Lexie Hull’s Wedding
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on May 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
