Vanessa de Jesus Declares for 2026 WNBA Draft—and ... - Rebanse
Filipino-Am guard and Gilas Pilipinas Women point guard Vanessa de Jesus declared for the 2026 WNBA Draft, announcing it on her Instagram.
www.rebanse.phHere’s the latest on Vanessa de Jesus and the 2026 WNBA Draft.
Direct answer
- Vanessa de Jesus declared for the 2026 WNBA Draft but went undrafted in the event, leaving her as a free agent.[3]
Context and details
- She is a Filipino-American guard who played for Notre Dame in NCAA, after transferring from Duke, and has represented Gilas Pilipinas Women in regional competition.[1][2]
- Reports on her declaration came from Philippine outlets in April 2026, highlighting her aim to become the first Filipina-blooded player in the WNBA, and she posted “Help me Jesus” on Instagram to announce the decision.[5][1]
- The draft in 2026 consisted of three rounds with 15 picks per round; de Jesus went undrafted, enabling her to pursue opportunities as a free agent with any WNBA team.[3]
What this means going forward
- As an undrafted free agent, she can sign with any WNBA team if there is mutual interest, or potentially pursue opportunities overseas or in the WNBA’s training camp invites.[3]
- Her NCAA experience and international exposure keep her on teams’ radars, especially given the increasing attention to Filipino and Filipino-American players in pro basketball.[7][3]
Key sources
- Vanessa de Jesus declares for 2026 WNBA Draft (announcement context).[1][5]
- 2026 WNBA Draft results and undrafted status (Texas recap).[3]
- Additional coverage from Philippine outlets summarizing the draft outcome and career background.[9][10][7]
If you’d like, I can pull a quick up-to-date status on any teams that have shown earlier interest or potential camps she might attend, and summarize that for you.