Las Vegas Aces rookie guard Deja Kelly scored the go-ahead points in an 85–84 win over the Phoenix Mercury on May 6. The former Texas star dropped 15 points off the bench in just 13 minutes, showing her shooting skill and ability to stay cool under pressure—just weeks after going undrafted in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
Deja Kelly’s Preseason Performance vs. Phoenix Mercury
Kelly hit a clutch mid-range jumper with just 4.9 seconds left on the clock. She finished the game with 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting, along with 2 assists and 0 rebounds in 13 minutes. She posted a +11 plus/minus and shot 71.4% from the field, 50.0% from three, and 100% from the free-throw line.
Deja Kelly was the hero of tonight's preseason matchup ⤵️
Kelly dropped 15 second half PTS and finished with the elite game winner, ultimately uplifting the @LVAces to an 85-84 victory over the Phoenix Mercury ✅#WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/eLP0E9uzzp
— WNBA (@WNBA)
Her efficient performance lifted her preseason averages to 9.0 points, 1.0 assists, and 0.0 rebounds per game.
College Performance
Deja Kelly played four standout seasons at North Carolina (2020–24) before a grad transfer year at Oregon (2024–25). At UNC, she scored 1,858 career points, ranking eighth on the school’s all-time scoring list. She started 120 of 121 games and averaged 16.3 points per game in her senior season.
A three-time First-Team All-ACC pick (2022–24), Kelly helped the Tar Heels reach four straight NCAA Tournaments, including a Sweet 16 in 2022.
At Oregon, Kelly averaged 12.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting a career-high 38.6% from the field. She also brought veteran leadership to a team that reached the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Reflecting on her season in Eugene, Kelly credited the program for helping her rediscover her love for basketball:
“This has been truly one of the best years of my career. I could not be more thankful for this group, for the staff, for the program—not only for welcoming me with open arms, but like KG (Kelly Graves) said: I reenergized the program, they reenergized me.”
Coach Kelly Graves also praised her for being just as strong off the court:
“The thing about Deja (Kelly), she is as impressive a person as she is a basketball player. She juggles so many things with her NIL obligations, TV appearances… I think she’s going to help any WNBA team. I’ve got several players in that league, and I think she belongs. She’s going to do well for somebody.”
Why She Was Undrafted in 2025
Despite her strong resume, Kelly went undrafted in the 2025 WNBA Draft. She later signed a training camp deal with Las Vegas on April 18.
MORE: Fans Say Deja Kelly ‘Should’ve Been Drafted’ After Huge Shot
Analysts say the guard-heavy class played a big role. Teams leaned toward players with more size, better defense, or more consistent long-range shooting. At 5′8″ with a mid-range–heavy game, Kelly’s 30.3% career three-point shooting raised questions about her spacing impact.
Still, with performances like her game-winner against Phoenix, Kelly is already showing why she belongs.
