Although she didn't hear her name called during the 2025 WNBA Draft, Maria Gakdeng isn't giving up on her dreams of playing in the league.
The former UNC women's basketball standout has earned a training camp opportunity with the Atlanta Dream. She'll look to earn a spot on the team's roster for the start of the upcoming regular season.
Welcome to the 🅰️!
— Atlanta Dream (@AtlantaDream) April 18, 2025
The Dream have signed Emani Jefferson and Maria Gakdeng to training camp contracts. #DoItForTheDream pic.twitter.com/nvkEUJPBkM
Gakdeng started her career at Boston College, playing her first two college seasons for the Eagles. She then decided to enter the transfer portal and ultimately joined the UNC women's basketball program, led by Courtney Banghart.
While transfer portal additions aren't always a guarantee to be a perfect fit, Gakdeng was everything the Tar Heels could have asked for and more.
When the Lanham, Maryland, native arrived in Chapel Hill, she brought a reputation as a fierce post player with elite shot-blocking ability. She blossomed into one of the best forwards in the entire country, becoming a focal point for North Carolina's offensive attack.
North Carolina was a much better team when No. 5 was on the floor. She saved her best college season for her last, finishing the season averaging a career-high in rebounds (7.6). The Tar Heels had a very balanced scoring load, one that Gakdeng was very much an integral part of, finishing the season as the UNC women's basketball program's second leading scorer (only .1 behind fellow frontcourt mate Alyssa Ustby).
Tar Heel fans can attest that Gakdeng deserves an opportunity in the WNBA, as her ability to impact the game on both sides of the floor makes her a valuable asset. While she's primarily a player who doesn't typically extend her range past the post area, she has shown the ability to dominate the post on both ends, shooting the basketball at an extremely efficient rate on offense while altering and blocking shots on defense.
Gakdeng has a lot to prove as she begins her professional basketball career, and we can't wait for her to show the world what she's truly capable of.