Charli Collier Waived by Dallas Wings; Was No. 1 Pick in 2021 WNBA Draft

The Dallas Wings announced they waived Charli Collier after cutting their roster down to 12 players ahead of the 2023 WNBA season.

Collier, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft, averaged 2.9 points and 2.5 rebounds in 45 games during her two seasons with Dallas.

The 23-year-old is an example of how difficult it can be to carve out a WNBA career. Nearly the entire 2021 draft class is either effectively gone from the league or unsigned at the moment.

The arrival of a new head coach (Latricia Trammell) theoretically allowed Collier to have a clean slate in Dallas. She has also played well for Israeli team A.S. Ramat-Hasharon overseas.

In 24 games, the 6'5" center averaged 13.3 points and 8.3 rebounds in Israel's top division. She made another seven appearances in the EuroCup Women, putting up 16.6 points and 8.0 boards per game.

However, playing time would have been difficult to come by for Collier after the Wings acquired Natasha Howard in a three-team trade with the Connecticut Sun and New York Liberty. They signed Teaira McCowan to an extension as well. Stephanie Soares, who was selected fourth overall in the 2023 draft, figures to be a long-term solution at the 5 once she recovers from a torn ACL.

The season tips off Friday, so the 12 rosters around the WNBA are set for the most part.

In the NBA, a player in Collier's position probably wouldn't have to wait long to land on their feet somewhere. In the WNBA, her future isn't so assured.

Sooner or later, Collier will likely get another chance, especially if the hardship exception opens up for a front office. That may not provide much long-term security, though, because she basically has to prove herself all over again.