Jazmine Jones and Kylee Shook wait for decisions by New York Liberty

WNBA cutting its roster to 12 players by May 26, prior to training camp

The past several weeks haven’t been easy for players selected in the 2020 WNBA Draft.

WNBA teams are trimming their rosters to 12 players by May 26, prior to training camps, so players can begin to be paid by June 1.

Jazmine Jones and Kylee Shook were selected consecutively April 17, becoming the 12th and 13th players from Louisville women’s basketball picked in the annual draft. Jones and Shook were both selected by the New York Liberty, a team with 15 players on its roster, including six rookies.

“It’s an anxious week-and-a-half for them,” Louisville women’s basketball coach Jeff Walz said. “You are going to have some people that are going to get cut without a training camp, without an opportunity to earn a spot. It has to be a little nerve wracking for all of those players.

Walz has texted and facetimed Jones and Shook. Walz said the two have continued to work out and are in contact with the professional team, waiting for an opportunity for a training camp.

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert told the Associated Press (AP) last week that the league is focusing on about a half-dozen scenarios to play this summer.

Jones ended her career at Louisville with the most games played in program history. She averaged 14.1 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 53.9% from the field during her senior year.

Jones, who was a three-year starter, was a member of the All-ACC First Team and ACC All-Defensive Team in 2019-20. Jones was the final pick in the first round of the draft in April, becoming the fourth player in program history to be selected in the first round of the WNBA Draft.

Shook was the first pick in the second round, following Jones. The 6-foot-4 forward was honored as the ACC Defensive Player of the Year after leading the league in blocked shots as a senior.

Shook was selected as All-ACC First Team and All-ACC Defensive Team in 2019-20, averaging 10.1 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game. She holds the program record for blocks with 223.