Why Was Dyaisha Fair Waived by Becky Hammon and Las Vegas Aces Despite High Praises?

The much-awaited WNBA debut for former Syracuse star, Dyaisha Fair, finally happened in the Michelob ULTRA Arena on Saturday night. Despite the win, the Las Vegas Aces have now announced that Fair’s time with them has ended. The 22-year-old, who made her impact in college basketball by becoming the third all-time leading scorer in the NCAA WBB, is no longer a part of the 2x champions’ roster. Let us dive deep into the reason why Becky Hammon and the Aces initially chose Fair and then waived her.

Recently, the Aces announced that they have waived their 16th overall pick from the 2024 draft. Previously, the Aces’ head coach Becky Hammon praised the rookie for her ability to make buckets. Hence, she became part of the final roster. However, she did not get any time on the floor in the first 3 games. According to the Aces/ UNLV reporter Callie Lawson-Freeman, the reason behind letting Dyaisha Fair go was her incompatibility to add to the defensive front.

Hammon wanted Fair to convert to a point guard to add to the team’s offense alongside Jackie Young and A’ja Wilson. However, her height at 5-ft-5 did not allow her to excel at one of the most important positions on the floor. The coach said, “She just has a whole lot to learn and she’s playing the hardest position on the floor.” This would suggest that the franchise going for a three-peat cannot risk minutes for a player to develop from the basics under their wing.

This news came right after her WNBA debut against the Indiana Fever. She was only given four minutes on the floor in the final quarter, with the outcome of the game already decided. She went 0 of 2 from the field in those minutes and delivered 2 assists. Currently, the back-to-back champions are struggling with their defense and depth.

Las Vegas’ defensive struggles force them to cut ties with Dyaisha Fair

The main reason why Hammon could not extend floor time for Fair was her defense skill. The Aces are allowing 85 points per game this season. These numbers are the third-worst in the league. Last season, they allowed 80.3 PPG, the second-best in the league. Further, Vegas’ bench also does not look great with Kierstan Bell and Chelsea Gray out due to injuries.

On the offensive front as well, the Aces are highly dependent on Young, Wilson, and Kelsey Plum. The trio collectively make up over 75% of the total score. The rest of the eight players have only contributed about 90 points in total so far.

Now, only Kate Martin of the Hawkeyes remains in the active roster who is also sharing floor time with the vets. The Aces have formerly bid adieu to Angel Jackson and Elizabeth Kitley after the training camp. While it is understandable why Dyaisha Fair had to go, the mere fact that Hammon was actually impressed by her training camp sessions and waived her after her 4-minute-long debut raises some eyebrows.

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