The Las Vegas Aces’ decision on June 30 to waive 6-foot-6 rookie center Elizabeth Kitley—Virginia Tech’s all-time scoring leader and three-time ACC Player of the Year—felt jarring, but it underscores both the unforgiving math of the WNBA’s 11-player rosters and the unique pressure the two-time defending champions face while re-tooling for another title run. The move came minutes after Las Vegas acquired former No. 2 overall pick NaLyssa Smith from Dallas, leaving the Aces needing cap space and an open spot; veteran wing Tiffany Mitchell was also released in the same flurry of transactions.
Kitley’s résumé is hard to ignore. Between 2019 and 2024 she rewrote Virginia Tech’s record book with 2,709 career points, 1,193 rebounds, 76 double-doubles, and a single-game school-record 42-point NCAA-tournament outburst. She earned three straight ACC Player-of-the-Year honors, became a three-time All-American, and—alongside point guard Georgia Amoore—carried the Hokies to their first Final Four in 2023. In February, Virginia Tech retired her No. 33 jersey, cementing her status as the most celebrated player in program history.
Yet her path to the pros was complicated by misfortune. Kitley tore the ACL in her left knee during the 2024 ACC tournament, an injury that ended her college career and pushed her from a projected lottery selection to the 24th overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft. The setback forced her to sit out the entire 2024 season while rehabbing, delaying her pro debut and limiting her first true preseason in 2025.
When she finally suited up this summer, Kitley found herself buried in a frontcourt rotation headlined by two-time MVP A’ja Wilson and defensive anchor Kiah Stokes. In 12 appearances (one start) she averaged 1.3 points and 1.4 rebounds in just over eight minutes per game, flashing her trademark soft touch around the rim and feel on the glass but rarely seeing sustained minutes to shake off the rust of a year-long layoff.
The Aces’ blockbuster for Smith—who brings athleticism and floor-running pop the team has lacked since Candace Parker’s retirement—triggered a harsh numbers game. Under the W’s hard salary cap, teams often carry only 11 guaranteed contracts; adding Smith’s $155 k salary required trimming cost-controlled deals. Kitley, still developing and behind established veterans in the rotation, became the casualty, a reminder of how tight roster margins can be for young bigs trying to break into the league.
Still, the chapter is not closed. At 23, Kitley remains a high-IQ, 6-6 post with elite touch, a reliable mid-range jumper, and a reputation for steady improvement. Frontcourts ravaged by injuries later in the season could offer seven-day hardship contracts, while an overseas stint this winter would provide heavy minutes and a platform to showcase full health. With WNBA expansion (Golden State enters in 2026) on the horizon and roster spots poised to grow, her college-tested skill set should keep her firmly on talent evaluators’ radars. Hokie Nation—and many around the league—are betting this setback is only a pivot point on a longer pro journey, not the final word.
