In an emotional night for one Northeast Ohio family, Aurora native Shyanne Sellers was selected 17th overall by the Golden State Valkyries in the 2025 WNBA Draft on Monday evening in New York.
The selection by the expansion Valkyries fulfills a dream for the daughter of former NBA player and current Warrensville Heights Mayor Brad Sellers and her mother Kym Sellers, who shared an emotional moment during the announcement.
“It’s special to be here, and I’m grateful for the opportunity,” said Sellers, wiping away tears during her ESPN interview after being selected.
Though projected as a potential top-10 pick by many analysts, Sellers slipped to the second round, creating what many are calling a major opportunity for the Valkyries. A lingering knee injury that hampered her senior season appears to have caused concern among several WNBA teams, contributing to her draft-day slide. Despite playing through the injury, Sellers posted impressive numbers in her final collegiate season – 14.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting 46% from the field.
The 6-foot-2 combo guard made history at Maryland, becoming the first player in program history to surpass 1,500 points, 500 rebounds, and 500 assists during her collegiate career. While primarily playing as a shooting guard for head coach Brenda Frese, Sellers’ versatility allows her to play multiple positions with her combination of athleticism, defensive prowess, and shot-creating ability.
“It’s a sense of relief, it’s a sense of joy, a sense of gratitude,” Sellers said about being selected. “I’m glad Golden State was the one to take a chance on me.”
“I’m excited to play with [former Maryland teammate] Chloe Bibby. It’s super amazing,” Sellers added, referencing a familiar face already on the Valkyries roster.
Sellers’ first WNBA game is scheduled for May 16 at home against the Los Angeles Sparks as the Valkyries begin their inaugural season.
The Maryland alum finished her senior season with numerous accolades, earning all-Big Ten first-team honors for the third straight season and leading the Terrapins to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament.
Basketball runs deep in the Sellers family. Shyanne’s father Brad is a former NBA player, and her sisters Syarra and Shayla both played college basketball at Thomas More and Purdue Fort Wayne respectively.
The Valkyries, making their first-ever draft selections, also picked Lithuanian guard Justė Jocytė with the fifth overall pick and UConn guard Kaitlyn Chen with the 30th pick to round out their inaugural draft class.
With local ties to Northeast Ohio and an impressive college resume, many area basketball fans will now be following Sellers’ professional career as she heads to the Bay Area to begin her WNBA journey.
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