Gilas Women guard Vanessa de Jesus declares for WNBA Draft
Vanessa de Jesus is set to take the next step in her basketball career, as the Filipino-American guard has declared for the 2026 WNBA Draft.
www.abs-cbn.comHere’s the latest on Vanessa de Jesus and the 2026 WNBA Draft.
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Vanessa de Jesus declared for the 2026 WNBA Draft in April 2026, signaling her intention to pursue a spot in the league. Multiple outlets reported her announcement and the context around her candidacy.[1][2]
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In the lead-up to the draft, several Philippine outlets covered her decision and highlighted her collegiate career at Notre Dame after transferring from Duke, noting her national team involvement with Gilas Pilipinas. These reports emphasized her scoring and playmaking capabilities and her status as a Filipino-American guard aiming for the WNBA.[4][6][1]
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Vanessa went undrafted in the 2026 WNBA Draft, making her a free agent who could sign with any team. This outcome was reported by multiple Philippine media outlets and confirms she would be seeking opportunities in the league as a non-drafted player.[3]
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Public reactions in the Philippines were supportive, with coverage framing her as a potential historic figure if she succeeds in joining the WNBA, given her Filipino heritage and national team experience.[5][6][4]
Key context to keep in mind
- The 2026 WNBA Draft consisted of three rounds with 45 players selected; de Jesus was not among those chosen.[3]
- After going undrafted, players like de Jesus typically sign with teams as free agents or consider overseas options while continuing to pursue WNBA opportunities.[3]
If you’d like, I can summarize each article in more detail, compare the different outlets’ takes, or pull together a quick timeline of her draft-related announcements and outcomes. I can also look up current status or potential workout reports from teams if you want the very latest updates.