On the day of the WNBA draft, one player found out her new team in a less glamorous way.
Karlie Samuleson is headed to her sixth WNBA team in seven years as she joins the Minneosta Lynx, but it’s safe to say this announcement caught her by surprise.
The Lynx acquired the veteran on Monday from the Washington Mystics on Monday in exchange for a first round pick in the 2026 WNBA draft.
Samuelson turns 30 next month and averaged a career-high 8.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 29 games for the Mystics in 2024.
Before her time in Washington, she averaged 5.6 points and 2.1 rebounds in 105 games with the Los Angeles Sparks, Dallas Wings, Seattle Storm and Phoenix Mercury between 2018 and 2023.
While with Los Angeles in 2023, Samuelson joined Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray and Lexie Brown as the only players to shoot at least .45 percent from the field and .40 percent or better from three-point range
Samuleson, who is used to being moved around, told her followers on social media she received the news of her trade after stepping off a ten-hour flight with no Wi-Fi.
“Traded mid 10 hour flight with no wifi is crazyyyyyyyy,” she wrote.
A quite wild notification to receive after turning off airplane mode, but that’s the world of sports for you.
Once she got her head around the move, Samuelson did express her delight at moving to Minnesota.
“Wow! Haven’t processed this all yet but I am extremely excited about this!!! Let’s go Lynx!!!!,” she posted on X.
Samuelson is joining a team with massive expectations after a crushing end to the 2024 season.
@KSAM44Samuelson took to social media to share how she found out she was traded[/caption]
The Lynx reached the WNBA Finals but lost 67-62 in a decisive Game 5 in overtime.
Minnesota were up with minutes to go before a foul allowed the Lynx to tie the game.
Coach Cheryl Reeve decried the “marginal at best” contact on the foul and claimed the championship was “stolen” from the the team.
In a bid to right the wrongs from last year, Minnesota have acquired three more players, along with Samuelson, as they inject new life into their roster.
Anastasiia Kosu, Dalayah Daniels and Aubrey Griffin will all join the Lynx this season.
