Haley Cavinder Reportedly Eyeing Return To College Basketball In 2024-25 Season

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MIAMI, FLORIDA - AUGUST 14: Haley Cavinder delivers the first pitch prior to a game between the Houston Astros and Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on August 14, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Cavinder is making a u-turn on her original retirement from college basketball.

Haley Cavinder has officially entered the transfer portal and announced her intention to play in the 2024-25 college season. Most considered the college career of the Cavinders to be over when they announced that they would be forgoing their fifth year of eligibility to pursue opportunities outside of college basketball. The pair signed a deal with the WWE in 2021 and were expecting to become full-time members of the promotion.

Furthermore, Haley will reportedly spend the next year training with her twin sister Hanna and pursuing their business ventures. After that, she alone will return to the NCAA for her fifth year. Cavinder stated that she would be open to returning to Miami but would also consider her options elsewhere. Previously, Haley had said that she didn't want to continue her basketball journey without Hanna, who had expressed her desire to leave after her fourth year.

Angel Reese Insulted By Mock Draft Position

GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA - MARCH 26: Haley Cavinder #14 of the Miami Hurricanes reacts after losing to the LSU Lady Tigers in the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 26, 2023 in Greenville, South Carolina. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Cavinder was seen as a fringe prospect for the 2023 draft but ultimately chose to pursue the WWE instead. Meanwhile, it's a 2024 draft prospect who has been making some noise about mock draft season. Recently, Kim Mulkey spoke on Reese's reaction to ESPN projecting her to be drafted eighth in the 2024 WNBA Draft. “That was an insult to her. We talked about the things she needs to work on. Whether she gets picked higher than that or not, it still motivates her. She gets motivated in practice with someone going head-to-head with her or talking trash back at her. She’s a competitor," LSU head coach Kim Mulkey said.

Reese's tumble to the second half of the first round was perhaps the biggest surprise of M.A. Voepel's first WNBA mock draft of the year. Furthermore, Voepel chose to project Paige Bueckers as the second pick. Bueckers hasn't played a full season since her freshman year and missed all of last season with an ACL tear. While the 2024 draft class is one of the strongest and deepest in years, it's hard to see many teams passing on Reese. She was top-five in both points and rebounds per game last season.

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About The Author
Benjamin Mock (they/them) is a sports and culture writer working out of Philadelphia. Previously writing for the likes of Fixture, Dexerto, Fragster, and Jaxon, Ben has dedicated themselves to engaging and accessible articles about sports, esports, and internet culture. With a love for the weirder stories, you never quite know what to expect from their work.
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