WNBA Rookie Released After Scoring 15 Points over 12 Games originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Roster changes continue to happen throughout the WNBA as players come back from injuries, and coaches make adjustments. Unfortunately, the return or addition of players often means the release of others to meet roster limits. 

A WNBA rookie was released on Monday to make room for the return of a veteran player they recently acquired in a trade, as teams finalize rotations ahead of the season’s midpoint. This move comes from the Las Vegas Aces. 

Callie Fin, who covers the Aces in Las Vegas, has the latest update: 

“Official: The Aces are waiving Tiffany Mitchell and Liz Kitley to make room for NaLyssa Smith.”

Official: The Aces are waiving Tiffany Mitchell and Liz Kitley to make room for NaLyssa Smith. https://t.co/IsssPRFdyR

— Callie Fin (@CallieJLaw) June 30, 2025

Kitley, a second-round pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, entered the season recovering from a torn ACL and didn’t debut until this year. In her 12 appearances, she started once, averaging 8.2 minutes, 1.3 points and 1.4 rebounds per game.

During her standout college career for the Virginia Tech Hokies, Kitley made a name for herself as a dominant presence in the paint. She was the 2020 ACC Rookie of the Year, earned All-ACC Defensive honors in three of her four seasons and was named a second-team All-American by the Associated Press in both her junior and senior years.

Smith comes to Las Vegas from the Dallas Wings for a 2027 first-round pick. The 24-year-old who played for the Baylor Bears is scoring 6.7 points per game and pulling down 4.9 rebounds per game. She was averaging 19.1 minutes per game with the Wings.

Also released by the Aces was 30-year-old guard Tiffany Mitchell. The veteran joined Las Vegas this season after stints with the Indiana Fever and Minnesota Lynx. A first-round pick in 2016, Mitchell played in 16 games for the Aces, starting twice. She averaged 13.1 minutes and 3.7 points per game.

The Aces are among several teams making midseason moves as they look to solidify their rotations ahead of the stretch run and the push toward the finals.

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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 30, 2025, where it first appeared.