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It’s becoming harder to understand why Deja Kelly remains without a WNBA shot

Kelly's debut performance in the inaugural Upshot League is another reminder of why she belongs in the WNBA.
ByNick Delahanty|
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Charlotte Crown guard Deja Kelly (2), right, shoots the ball against Jacksonville Waves center Adut Bulgak (2) during the first quarter of an UpShot League women’s basketball game at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, Friday, May 15, 2026. in Jacksonville, Fla. Tonight marked the first home Waves game for the inaugural UpShot women’s professional basketball season. The Charlotte Crown held off the Jacksonville Waves 103-95.
Charlotte Crown guard Deja Kelly (2), right, shoots the ball against Jacksonville Waves center Adut Bulgak (2) during the first quarter of an UpShot League women’s basketball game at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, Friday, May 15, 2026. in Jacksonville, Fla. Tonight marked the first home Waves game for the inaugural UpShot women’s professional basketball season. The Charlotte Crown held off the Jacksonville Waves 103-95. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Deja Kelly deserves an opportunity in the WNBA. The question remains: why are league executives having such a difficult time realizing this?

Looking to advance her professional basketball career, Kelly's latest stop brings her to Charlotte as she will compete in the inaugural Upshot League. In case you're not familiar with the newly-created league, here's some important information regarding it:

The Upshot League is led by former WNBA president Donna Orender and is designed as a place for players to continue developing while staying in the United States. It serves as an alternative to playing overseas, keeping players (like Kelly and fellow former Tar Heel Maria Gakdeng) closer to home.

Kelly's debut performance as a member of the Charlotte Crown drew a ton of attention and also sparked up the discussion once again as to why she hasn't earned an opportunity since being released by the Las Vegas Aces ahead of the start of last season.

Deja Kelly dominates in her Upshot League debut

Kelly was the best player on the floor in Charlotte's 103-95 victory on the road against the Jacksonville Waves, finishing the game with 31 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists. Keep in mind, these rosters are no joke: they are filled with players who have prior WNBA experience and strong college basketball resumes to their names.

Among the talented pool of players, Kelly proved that she's in an elite category of her own.

After just missing the cut to make the Aces roster last season (following a strong exhibition showing), it seemed like it was only a matter of time before a WNBA squad would bring Kelly in for a closer look. When the league expanded, it felt like even more likely that she would at least earn a training camp invite, but still has not yet earned that chance.

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At this point, what more does she need to do to prove that she belongs in the big leagues?

There's no doubt that Deja Kelly is a baller. She proved that during her four seasons at North Carolina and also carried it over to her final season at Oregon. She continues to ball out wherever she goes, and if she keeps up performing as she did in her Upshot League debut, it might not be long before WNBA teams wake up and realize she belongs on an active roster moving forward.

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