Clarifying the International Draft Status
Kentucky women’s basketball coach Kenny Brooks has stepped forward to address mounting criticism directed at freshman guard Ajsa Sivka regarding her professional draft status. In statements reported by Yahoo Sports, Brooks emphasized that the young player never actively sought selection or declared for the professional league, countering public misunderstandings amid a shifting college basketball eligibility landscape.
The situation involves complex rules governing international prospects who enter college athletics after being selected by professional franchises. According to the reporting by Yahoo Sports, Sivka was chosen in the first round of the 2025 WNBA Draft as the No. 10 overall pick by the Chicago Sky, but she bypassed the league to compete at the collegiate level without signing any professional contracts.
Coach Brooks Defends Freshman Guard
Addressing the online and public scrutiny, Brooks explained the unique mechanism behind international selections. He noted that professional teams can retain the rights of talented prospects discovered abroad without the player initiating the process.
“People don’t understand her situation. And everybody sees that she was selected to the WNBA. She didn’t ask to be, she didn’t declare for it. When you’re an international player, if they see you, they can just grab and stash you if they want to, and they saw her potential and they did so,” Brooks said, as cited by Yahoo Sports.
The Kentucky coach further highlighted the distinct development path of international athletes, contrasting it with traditional American youth systems. He pointed out that overseas players often bypass high school and AAU basketball circuits, developing instead within national team environments against significantly older competitors.
Immediate Impact on the Court
Despite the outside noise surrounding her player rights, Sivka has delivered an exceptional start to her collegiate career under the Kenny Brooks era at Kentucky. The team has secured a 4-0 record to begin the season, bolstered by Sivka’s immediate production on the court.
Appearing in all four games, Sivka has established herself as a offensive leader for the Wildcats. She currently leads the squad with 16.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per contest. Her shooting percentages reflect high efficiency early in the season, connecting on 63.2 percent from the field, 65 percent from beyond the 3-point arc, and 85.7 percent from the free-throw line, while the Chicago Sky maintain her professional player rights for the future.