By R.L. Bynum
Deja Kelly built a reputation during her five college seasons as a reliable scorer, and on opening night of a new professional venture, she carried that scoring instinct with her and showed she can also rebound.
Kelly collected 31 points and 14 rebounds in the Charlotte Crown’s 103–95 road win against the Jacksonville Waves on opening night of the inaugural Upshot League game, giving the league an immediate showcase performance from the former North Carolina and Oregon star.
The new league has four teams and a roster pool filled with players who have WNBA training camp experience, draft pedigrees or standout college résumés.
In addition to the Crown and Waves, the other two teams are the Savannah Steel and the Greensboro Groove, the latter featuring former Tar Heels center Maria Gakdeng and former N.C. State and Norfolk State start Diamond Johnson.
The Groove won its opener 85–81 at home Friday at a sold-out Novant Health Fieldhouse. Gakdeng played off the bench, collecting six points, seven rebounds and two steals.
Led by former WNBA president Donna Orender, the league positions itself as a place for players to continue developing while staying in the United States, offering an alternative to overseas play for those chasing roster spots at the highest level.
Kelly, who flirted with a triple-double as she collected eight assists, three steals and two blocks, made clear this week what the opportunity represents. She only topped that scoring total once in college, when she scored 32 points on Feb. 9, 2023, in UNC’s 75–67 loss at Syracuse. Her college rebounding high was 11 for Oregon on Nov. 18, 2024, against Grand Canyon.
“It speaks volumes about how fast the women’s game is growing and how many opportunities are being created,” Kelly told WNCN.
Growth is part of the foundation of the Upshot League, which has attracted investment from former WNBA stars and was created in response to a crowded professional landscape in which talented players often struggle to secure consistent roster spots.
For Kelly, this next chapter follows a college career that included three first-team All-ACC selections at UNC before finishing at Oregon. She went undrafted by the WNBA in 2025, had strong exhibition performances for the Las Vegas Aces, but was released in the preseason. In February and March, she competed in Athletes Unlimited, a U.S.-based professional league.
Gakdeng had a productive season overseas playing for TARR KSC Szekszárd in Hungary’s top division and in EuroCup competition. In domestic league play, she averaged 14 points and nearly nine rebounds in roughly 25 minutes per game. In EuroCup play, she averaged 10 points and 8 rebounds per game, showing she could perform against international competition.
Gakdeng’s 32-point, nine-rebound performance in January, which earned her player-of-the-week honors in Hungary, is a sign of the upside she brings to her first professional season in the United States.
Each team will play 34 games, allowing players to remain in front of evaluators while continuing to refine their games in a professional setting.
Charlotte plays its home opener at 7 p.m. Thursday against Jacksonville. The Crown will play home games at Bojangles Coliseum.
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Photo screenshot via @tnunn1325
