Bree Hall Waived by Indiana Fever Before WNBA Season: A Difficult Turn for a Gamecock Champion
In the heart of spring, when dreams take flight and young women across the country lace up for their shot at professional glory, sometimes the harshness of reality lands heavier than a final buzzer. On Monday afternoon, the Indiana Fever announced they had waived Bree Hall, the former South Carolina guard and No. 20 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, just days before the start of the regular season.
For Hall, the news comes as a bitter blow following a brilliant collegiate career marked by championships, resilience, and a reputation as one of the steadiest contributors in the storied Dawn Staley era at South Carolina. The Fever’s decision, posted without fanfare on social media, was a stark reminder of just how brutal and fleeting opportunity can be in the world of professional basketball.
Hall saw limited preseason action. She did not play in the Fever’s overtime win against the Washington Mystics on Saturday, but she logged 16 minutes in a Sunday exhibition against the Brazilian National Team, notching a respectable nine points and four rebounds. Yet, it wasn’t enough to cement her place on a roster teeming with top-tier talent and intense positional competition.
She wasn’t the only cut on Monday veteran forward Jillian Alleyne was also released. But Hall’s name resonates louder, not just because of her draft status, but because of what she represented: a winner, a fighter, a leader. A Gamecock through and through.
Hall’s journey to the WNBA was rooted in loyalty and growth. As part of South Carolina’s elite 2021 recruiting class alongside Sania Feagin and Raven Johnson she helped forge a dynasty in Columbia, playing a key role in two national championships. While never the star on the stat sheet, her presence was always felt. She averaged 5.8 points over an astonishing 147 games and earned a reputation for tenacious defense, fearless shooting, and an uncanny ability to rise to the occasion when the lights burned brightest.
Her story in the WNBA, however, now pauses before it truly begins. It’s a cruel twist of timing and numbers. With only 12 teams and limited roster spots, the WNBA is notoriously difficult to break into, especially for second-round picks. Still, Hall’s potential is undeniable, and her departure from the Fever may yet serve as the opening act in a longer, richer professional journey.
She joins fellow South Carolina alum Mikiah Herbert Harrigan, waived by the Dallas Wings over the weekend, as part of a sobering trend. Even players from powerhouse programs aren’t guaranteed footing in the WNBA. The margin for error is razor-thin, and timing, team fit, and preseason performance all factor heavily in final decisions.
But make no mistake this is far from the end. Bree Hall has defied expectations before. She has stepped onto the biggest stages in college basketball and never flinched. Now, she faces a new kind of challenge: proving she belongs in the league that once called her name.
Somewhere soon, a team will need her versatility, her defense, her quiet leadership. And when they do, Hall will be ready.
Because champions don’t vanish. They just wait for their next shot.
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