Harvard’s history-maker Harmoni Turner keeps it 100% real after getting waived by Aces

Harvard’s history-maker Harmoni Turner has been waived by the Las Vegas Aces. The Aces selected Turner with the 34th overall pick of the 2025 Draft, and everything seemed to be going fine until Thursday, when it was announced that the Aces would waive her.

The 23-year-old was stellar in college, making 110 appearances for Harvard, recording 18.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. During her senior year, Turner averaged 22.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 2.8 steals per game while shooting 43%.

After being released on Thursday, Tuner made a TikTok video explaining how she has returned to campus now that her WNBA journey is over.

“Me returning to campus after getting waived–Harvard made it a big deal for me getting drafted since I was only the 2nd person in HWBB history to get drafted directly from here,” Turner wrote.

“😂 lmao anywaysssss.”

Harmoni Turner keeps it real after getting waived

As revealed by Turner, there was a lot of hype following her name being called, since she became only the second woman to be drafted straight out of Harvard. The Aces’ decision to waive Turner is surprising, to say the least. Speaking after the draft, the team’s head coach, Becky Hammon, seemed optimistic about the rookie.

“Harmoni’s presence — her vibe, her energy — she’s like a ray of sunshine in any room she walks into. She’s easy to be around, she plays hard..." Hammon said

Now, instead of getting her welcome to the league moment in the WNBA, Turner is back on campus finishing her degree.

Harmoni Turner is one of many third-round picks who were waived before playing in the WNBA

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While Harmoni Turner’s WNBA news is surprising, it is unfortunately something players experience after every draft. Most third-round picks in the WNBA never make it to the final roster, and of those that do, they don’t often get much playing time.

Only one third-round pick from the 2024 draft got playing time in the league last season. Charisma Osborne, drafted by the Phoenix Mercury with the 25th pick of the third round, made two appearances last season playing a total of 10 minutes.

But there are exceptions here as well. Taj McWilliams-Franklin was drafted with the 36th overall pick back in 1999. Despite being a third-round pick, she spent 14 years in the league.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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Edited by John Maxwell