Latest news with #Ejim
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fever Cut Caitlin Clark's Rookie Teammate Ahead of Season Start
The Indiana Fever tip off the 2025 WNBA regular season on May 17 against the Chicago Sky, which means they'll need to finalize their roster by then, with no more than 12 players allowed under league rules. However, due to salary cap constraints, the Fever are expected to carry just 11 early on in the season. After starting training camp on April 27 with 15 players, tough decisions were inevitable. Advertisement They've already waived guard Bree Hall, the No. 20 overall pick in last month's WNBA draft, along with forward Jillian Alleyne, who was on a training camp contract. Those two moves brought the roster count down to 13. Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22).© Mark J. Rebilas And on Wednesday, the Fever parted ways with rookie forward Yvonne Ejim to trim the roster to 12. "we have waived forward Yvonne Ejim," the Fever announced on social media. "thank you, Yvonne." Ejim was drafted in the third round of the 2025 WNBA Draft out of Gonzaga. She spent five seasons in Spokane, Washington, where she had a career avaerged of 14.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. Advertisement The 23-year-old Canadian is a two-time WCC Player of the Year, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, former Sixth Woman of the Year, and a three-time All-WCC selection. Ejim appeared in two preseason games for the Fever. In the first against the Washington Mystics, she recorded just one assist. In Game 2 against the Brazil national team, she scored six points and grabbed one rebound Former Indiana Fever forward Yvonne Ejim.© Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK With Ejim now out, the final roster spot for the Fever will come down to guard Jaelyn Brown, who is on a training camp contract, and forward Makayla Timpson, the 19th overall pick in last month's draft. Timpson has received high praise from Fever head coach Stephanie White during her short time in Indiana. Advertisement "The thing that impresses me the most about KK (Timpson) is just her poise," White said. "She doesn't get rushed. She stays patient. If she doesn't know what to do, she doesn't get antsy. And that's something you can't teach, and I'm really impressed with that. Her activity level is really good on the defensive end of the floor. I think that when you look at her, and you watch her in college, you know she really is just scratching the surface of her ability." Related: Angel Reese's Teammate Sends Message After Indiana Fever Cut Rookie Related: Angel Reese's Mother Sends Strong Message to Caitlin Clark Fans
Indianapolis Star
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Indiana Fever make another training camp cut, trim roster down to 12 players
INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Fever have made another roster cut. The Fever announced Wednesday that they have waived Yvonne Ejim, the No. 33 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. Ejim, a forward, came to Indiana out of Gonzaga, where she was the two-time West Coast Conference Player of the Year. Ejim played in both of the Fever's preseason games, mostly in garbage time. She recorded one assist in five minutes against the Mystics, then six points on 3-of-5 shooting in 12 minutes against the Brazilian National Team on Sunday. This cut brings the Fever's roster to 12, the league maximum for the regular season. The Fever will still have to make one more cut, though, because of salary cap limitations. The final cut will likely be between Jaelyn Brown, who is on a training camp contract, and 2025 No. 19 pick Makayla Timpson. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. Timpson, a forward, played ample minutes with the starters and in the rotation on Sunday. She scored nine points in nine minutes against the Brazilian National Team, going 2-of-4 from the field and 5-of-6 from the free-throw line. She showed her skill in staying poised on the court and being able to draw fouls, along with being an elite rim runner. Brown, a 26-year-old guard, came to Indiana from Dallas in a trade. She already has a year of experience in the WNBA, but spent half of it with a broken nose and an illness that hampered her season with Dallas in 2024. Brown played 15 minutes against the Brazilian National Team, but that was mostly against backups and in garbage time. She scored two points on 1-of-6 shooting, but was strong defensively with four steals. Indiana will need to finalize its opening day roster by May 15.
Indianapolis Star
01-05-2025
- Climate
- Indianapolis Star
Fever's Sophie Cunningham on scalloped potatoes, meatloaf: 'Back in the Midwest & I love it.'
INDIANAPOLIS — Seems like Sophie Cunningham is pretty fired up to be back in the Midwest. "Heck yeah," the Missouri-native said during Indiana Fever media day Wednesday. "After practice (Tuesday), they had scalloped potatoes and meatloaf and I was like, 'I am back in the Midwest and I love it. I'm all here. I'm for it. I'm for it.'" Cunningham, a Missouri-native and University of Missouri graduate, spent the past six seasons with the Phoenix Mercury, who drafted her in the second-round of the 2019 WNBA Draft. The Fever acquired the 6-1 shooting guard as part of a four-team deal at the end of January. Cunningham said she's heard from approximately 400-800 people about tickets. "I kinda forgot what it's like to be back home with family and friends," she laughed. Cunningham's not the only one with plenty of loved ones eager to come watch her play. Rookie Bree Hall, a second-round selection from South Carolina, expects to have "tons of family and friends" at Gainbridge for Saturday's preseason opener. The 6-1 guard grew up in Dayton and regularly traveled to Indy for AAU tournaments growing up. Being back in the midwest is nothing new — a welcome change, if anything — for Cunningham and Hall. That is not the case for most of their fellow newcomers, who are experiencing our way of life for the first time after spending most of their lives in other regions of the country. Yvonne Ejim, a 2025 third-round pick from Gonzaga, was told to "bring a jacket" — fair — to which she replied: "It's summertime, I don't think I'll need a jacket." (Oh no...) "(They also said) go out there and explore, and I like to do that stuff," Ejim continued. "So, really good advice from them." Makayla Timpson, another rookie (second-rounder from Florida State) compared the weather here to Tallahassee, Florida. "It rained one day then it was sunny, so right now it's pretty good," she said. "But I know it gets cold. I'm really not excited about the cold. … I don't like snow." With respect to the people, this quote from Jaelyn Brown was in response to her first week with the Fever organization, but I'd like to think it applies to midwesterners, too. "Everyone is very genuine here. It's real and authentic," Brown said. "I love everybody's demeanor. We want the best out of everybody and that's what I live for." A number of the newcomers have had the opportunity to explore downtown Indy. Sydney Colson, a Texas-native, has heard good things about Carmel, while Ejim said she's been strolling downtown, looking for food places, coffee shops and whatever she can find. "It's been good so far," she said. Asked her favorite places to visit so far, Brianna Turner cited: The Garage Food Hall, Sidedoor Bagels — "They have really good bagels," she said — Leviathan Bakehouse and Hasuno Sushi. "Obviously I love food," Turner laughed. "I'm a really big foodie, so if anyone has any recommendations, please let me know." (Sushi House downtown also got a shoutout.) The Midwest experience will continue Sunday when the Fever travel to Carver Hawkeye Arena to take on the Brazil National Team. "It's going to be fun to be back in that Midwest mentality with people who are all about their sports teams," said Cunningham, whose college career ended with an NCAA tournament loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes at CHA. "I'm excited for it." The Indiana Fever play their first preseason game Saturday against the Washington Mystics at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.
