Former Arizona point guard Helena Pueyo got to experience the excitement of having her name called in the WNBA draft. She went to camp with the Connecticut Sun. Making a WNBA team is one of the most difficult thing to do in American sports, though. Like so many before her, Pueyo won’t make it to the regular season.
The Connecticut Sun announced that they waived Pueyo and fellow rookie Taiyanna Jackson on Friday morning.
Thank you, Helena pic.twitter.com/2JN4bCZEI2
— Connecticut Sun (@ConnecticutSun) May 10, 2024
Pueyo played just three minutes in the Sun’s preseason loss to the New York Liberty on Thursday evening. She went 0-for-1 from the floor.
The Sun had 15 players on their roster before waiving Pueyo and Jackson. They must cut at least one more player to get to the 12-player maximum before opening day. Most teams carry just 11 players due to the salary cap.
Pueyo appeared to be prepared for this. Earlier this week, she shared social media posts announcing that she had signed with Spanish team Casademont Zaragoza for the 2024-25 season.
Zaragoza finished third last year with a 24-6 record in Spain’s top league, Liga Femenina de Baloncesto. They went to the semifinals before losing to Valencia.
In EuroLeague competition, the team went 9-5 in Group A and advanced to the quarterfinals.
Fellow former Wildcats Aari McDonald and Esmery Martinez are still in camp with their WNBA teams. While McDonald will undoubtedly make the roster for the Los Angeles Sparks, Martinez is in a more precarious position with the New York Liberty.