Update on the WNBA rookie season of former Buckeyes Jacy Sheldon and Celeste Taylor
The WNBA season is entering the All-Star and Olympic break, and the two Ohio State players selected in the 2024 draft have had very different life paths so far.
Guard Jacy Sheldon has been on a steady rise, playing more than 30 minutes in four of the Dallas Wings’ last five games, while guard Celeste Taylor of the Phoenix Mercury was briefly absent from the 144 players on the WNBA roster.
Sheldon, who was drafted fifth overall, has been a staple in the starting lineup since the team’s June 20 game against the Chicago Sky. In the 25 games she played during her rookie season, Sheldon averaged 5.3 points per game.
In Dallas’ final game before the break, Sheldon faced her old Big Ten rival Cailtin Clark for the first time in a WNBA regular season game, helping the Wings to a 101-93 win over the Indiana Fever. Sheldon scored 11 points in Wednesday’s game, hitting 3 of 5 three-point shots.
Earlier this week, it was announced that Sheldon will spend her off-season as a professional player in Australia after signing a contract with Townsville Fire.
Taylor had to deal with even more uncertainty. On June 25, she was released by the Fever, who had drafted her 15th in the second round.
Less than three weeks after the Fever released Taylor, the Phoenix Mercury signed her to a seven-day contract. That was on July 12, the same day the Mercury faced Indiana, and Taylor grabbed three rebounds, recorded five assists and stole the ball twice against her former team.
At Indiana, Taylor only played 16 minutes in four games. Since moving to Phoenix, Taylor has almost tripled her playing time in three games, now totaling 46 minutes. Taylor has developed well in her role as a defensive stopper.
Like Sheldon, Taylor plans to play in Australia’s Women’s National Basketball League during the offseason. On July 10, she signed with the Sydney Flames.
The WNBA regular season begins again on August 15th after the Olympic Games in Paris.
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