No player comes out of college having a stellar playing career, but such a resume doesn’t necessarily lock them to a WNBA roster, especially if you’re drafted past the first round.
“There were times when I prayed to God, and I was telling Him how upset I was and confused I was,” recalled Maya Caldwell, now in her first season with the Minnesota Lynx. “I needed to know … what His plan was.”
Caldwell is proof positive of what faith and perseverance can look like: A four-year letterwinner at Georgia (2017-21), the 5-11 guard started all 28 games in her senior season, 72 career starts total, and the Charlotte, N.C. native left with a communication studies degree.
“I didn’t think I was going to be drafted,” she recalled. “I’ve always settled for the dream of playing overseas because I felt like anybody could do that. But God had another plan for me,” she gladly pointed out.
Caldwell was drafted in the third round by Indiana in the 2021 WNBA Draft in April of that year, signed a three-year deal three days after being drafted, then got waived the next month. This would be the start of her life as a pro hoopster, one of uncertainty and false starts.
After playing in Spain in 2021-22, Caldwell finally made her W debut with Atlanta in 2022, an 18-point, four assist performance against Dallas. She remembers her “Welcome to the W” moment – “That first game in Atlanta when I had the huge assignment of starting. I had a great game on both ends of the floor,” she pointed out. “I remember backpedaling after the second or third time that I scored, and tears were coming to my eyes because I was just so happy to be in that environment, in the league, living up my dream.
“That’s when I realized I could do something here,” reaffirmed Caldwell.
Caldwell returned to Indiana as an unrestricted free agent, signing a one-year deal with the Fever, and saw action in 30 games in 2023. But once again she was waived even after she signed another one-year contract, but Atlanta picked her up in June of the 2024 season and she played in all 25 remaining games that year for the Dream.
Last season Caldwell started 16 games and appeared 41 times for Atlanta, but the team left her unprotected and she was selected by Portland in the 2026 Expansion Draft. She signed a one-year deal with the Fire.
Then last month, Caldwell was traded to Minnesota, her fourth W club in less than five years on May 6. We talked with her shortly after her arrival after a game-day shootaround.
“It was a quick turnaround coming from Portland,” said the guard, “but Cheryl (Reeve, Minnesota coach) and this team, the staff, they’ve made it a very smooth transition for me.
“I feel like I’m right where I’m supposed to be,” stressed Caldwell, who mainly comes off the bench for the Lynx. She scored a season-high 16 points, including four made threes – one short of a career high in a home win over Toronto May 21. At Chicago last Friday, she had five points and four boards in a 79-58 road victory over the Sky.
“This game is 99% mental,” surmised Caldwell, “and I feel a lot of peace and stability in my career life, in my relationship with God. So as long as I’m leaning into that, I’m faithfully sound.
“I realize, and I’ve seen, and I felt good things come out of it,” she concluded. “I’m a lot more patient with myself, with people around me because this career is back and forth; it’s up and down.
“So, anyone in this league can tell you that in any professional sport honestly that is tough, and so just being able to have my spiritual life to lean on has kept me stable.”
Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses at challman@spokesman-recorder.com.