Jessica Shepard will miss the entire 2024 WNBA season to fulfill contract commitments with her basketball club in Italy, Umana Reyer Venezia, the Lynx announced on Wednesday.
That means Shepard is subject to the WNBA’s prioritization rules under the collective bargaining agreement, meaning she can face fines and will be suspended for the year once she misses the start to the regular season. The agreement requires players to prioritize the WNBA over other international leagues.
The Lynx retain exclusive negotiating rights to Shepard.
Shepard, 27, has spent all four seasons of her WNBA career with Minnesota. Last season, Shepard matched her career high, averaging 8.1 points per game while also tallying 7.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists per contest.
For her career, Shepard averages 6.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.
