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Vanderbilt fans are quite familiar with former women’s basketball coach Stephanie White’s coaching missteps during her tenure with the Commodores. Now back in the WNBA as head coach of the Indiana Fever, White once again finds herself facing questions about a personnel decision.
Indiana selected Vanderbilt 6-foot-4 sharpshooter Justine Pissott with the 25th overall pick in the second round of the 2026 WNBA Draft after she concluded her collegiate career with the Commodores. She spent training camp with the organization as a developmental player but never appeared in a regular-season game before the Las Vegas Aces signed her this week after Indiana declined to retain her rights.
The decision raised eyebrows because the Fever’s roster is built around WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark’s ability to create open shots. Few young players entering the league appeared to offer a more natural complementary skill set than Pissott, whose elite perimeter shooting seemed well suited for Indiana’s up-tempo offense. Instead, the Fever elected not to retain her, allowing the defending champion Aces to add another perimeter shooter.
White explained that keeping Pissott would have required the Fever to waive either rookie Grace VanSlooten or veteran Damaris Dantas, two players the organization valued for reasons beyond their current on-court production.
“First and foremost, they’re great culture players, great culture teammates, they’re going to be ready when their number is called,” White said.
“Grace is a young player who I think can really develop into a solid four in this league. DD is a veteran who understands how to stay ready so she doesn’t have to get ready, who we can play in certain lineups and certain matchups, who is going to give us great minutes in practice as well, and who will continue to help build and strengthen our culture.”
The defending champion Aces wasted little time giving the former Commodore an opportunity.
With the game well in hand entering the fourth quarter, Aces head coach Becky Hammon inserted Pissott into the lineup. Rather than simply helping run out the clock, the rookie delivered an unforgettable debut.
Pissott erupted for 19 points in just 10 minutes during Las Vegas’ 106-58 victory over the Phoenix Mercury, shooting 7-for-8 from the field and 5-for-6 from three-point range. Her five made three-pointers established a WNBA record for the most three-pointers in a player’s debut. She confidently attacked closeouts and showcased the versatile scoring ability that made her an intriguing draft prospect. Despite playing only the final quarter, she finished as the Aces’ second-leading scorer behind MVP candidate A’ja Wilson.
While the performance came in garbage time, production is still production. Rookies rarely make such an immediate offensive impact, regardless of the game situation. Pissott looked comfortable, confident, and completely unfazed by the jump to the professional level.
That performance could also earn her a larger role moving forward.
The Aces are chasing another championship and traditionally rely on veteran contributors, but bench scoring is an area where unexpected players can carve out meaningful minutes. If Pissott continues to shoot the ball anywhere near the level she displayed in her debut, Hammon will have little choice but to expand her opportunities.
For Vanderbilt fans, the performance served as a reminder of the offensive firepower Pissott displayed during her senior season. For the Fever, it inevitably invites questions about a player the organization drafted just months earlier before ultimately allowing her to leave.
Indiana invested a second-round pick in Pissott, developed her through training camp, and ultimately watched another contender sign her. Less than a week later, she delivered a record-setting debut in an Aces uniform.
One game does not guarantee a successful professional career, and it would be premature to declare Indiana made a franchise-altering mistake.
However, first impressions matter, and Pissott could hardly have made a stronger one.
Whether this debut proves to be the beginning of a long WNBA career remains to be seen. But for one night, the former Commodore showed exactly why many Vanderbilt fans believed she deserved an opportunity, and she gave the Aces every reason to keep giving her one.
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