Aleighsa Welch released by WNBA’s Chicago Sky
Aleighsa Welch’s professional career is off to a rocky start.
Welch was cut by Chicago on Wednesday, just over a month since she was picked with the 22nd selection of the draft. The Sky began preseason camp on May 17 and will start the season on June 5.
Welch might be picked up by another WNBA team or could elect to play overseas, but her stint in Chicago was short-lived.
“Chicago didn’t work out the way I had hoped, but the road definitely doesn’t end here,” Welch said in a Facebook post. “I thank the organization for the opportunity, anybody knows me knows that no matter the setback, I will always come back.”
It’s difficult making a WNBA roster without being a top draft pick, as there are normally only one or two spots per team available each year. The Sky are coming off a WNBA Finals appearance last year.
Welch played in 113 games at South Carolina, leading four NCAA tournament teams and taking the last one to the program’s first NCAA Final Four. She is the Gamecocks’ career leader in offensive rebounds.
“Can’t wait to get back to Columbia and Charleston to begin giving back to the people that gave so much to me over the years,” Welch said on Facebook. “Those communities have molded me. It’s only right that I extend myself back in return. Even disappointments can be blessings in disguise.”
This story was originally published May 20, 2015 at 6:05 PM.