In rather unfortunate timing, we published our article on international prospects in the upcoming WNBA draft just before it was revealed that an unexpected player would be selectable, adding another top prospect this year. The first indication that news was forthcoming came when Sabreena Merchant of the Athletic released a new mock draft, including Juste Jocyte at pick 11. No explanation was attached as to why she could be chosen, but Hunter Cruse of The Next was able to fill in the gaps when confirming her eligibility. Her agents had contacted the league to clarify her status and they ruled that she would be allowed to participate in this draft and not need to wait.
CBA Language
The language in the CBA regarding player eligibility has generally been considered pretty clear when it comes to international players. Here are the two paragraphs in Section 1 of Article XIII that cover their eligibility:
(d) Notwithstanding Section 1(b) above, an international player is eligible to be selected in the WNBA Draft if she will be at least 20 years old during the calendar year in which such Draft is held.
(e) For purposes of this Section 1, an “international player” means any person born and residing outside the United States who participates in the game of basketball as an amateur or a professional. An international player who exercises intercollegiate basketball eligibility in the United States shall be subject to the eligibility rules set forth in Section (b) (iii) above.
Juste Jocyte was born on November 19th of 2005 in Washington D.C. to two Lithuanian parents who were there to work for their country’s embassy after her father had played collegiately in the United States. Based on the CBA language, it was assumed that her birthplace would automatically disqualify her as an international, leaving her waiting until 2027 to enter the draft. She did not take the other path that would have allowed her to enter earlier than that year, which would have been starting college in or before Fall 2022, even if she left immediately instead of playing, following the path of other members of her family, including her brother, who played a season at Manhattan.
Jocyte’s Basketball Background
After her family moved back to Lithuania, Jocyte went through the basketball development system there, first gaining some global attention by representing team Europe in the first Jr. NBA tournament in 2018. The next summer was the real launch of her career as she played for Lithuania’s U16 national team and led them to a silver medal at the European Championship. By the end of that year, she had moved from her local club Neptunas to France to play for Lyon.
At the time that she joined the club, Lyon had realized the ambitions that Tony Parker had set for them when he purchased the team, winning the local championship. As a result, Jocyte was able to make an appearance in EuroLeague in addition to a couple of cameos in the French league. Besides practicing with the main team, she was able to play for their youth team while attending the school that Parker had started for young talents in sports and other fields. She was there at the same time as the other two players who comprise the projected top three international selections this year, Dominique Malonga and Ajsa Sivka.
Her Recent Seasons
After the early promise of her career, she has had to deal with a few obstacles that have kept her away from the spotlight a bit. The pandemic wiped out chances to see her on the global stage with Lithuania’s youth teams and then an injury limited her when she finally got a chance in 2023. Those injuries also kept from from being able to play more last season when there were plenty of opportunities with Lyon.
After a full summer of recovery, Jocyte has finally gotten back on track and has had a good season for Lyon, showing scoring prowess and some of the playmaking that has always been intriguing at her height. She also returned to Lithuania’s national team and led them as they finally qualified for EuroBasket again after a decade of absences. While she has made it clear that she wants to try the WNBA, that qualification could affect her plans for this season and that could change how different teams feel about picking her.
Past and Future Implications
With the CBA being negotiated for future seasons, there are plenty of parts that could use updated language that better avoid any need for clarification in the future. While the result of the ruling has been publicized on her end, the league has not released the reasoning involved, making it unclear whether other players who were born in the United States could have had other options for entering the league. The most notable examples are Satou and Nyara Sabally, who were born in New York and Oregon respectively, before moving to Gambia and then Germany. They both ended up playing college basketball at Oregon, but would certainly have been strong international prospects if they had been in the 2018 and 2020 drafts.
The expansion to Toronto will require some update to this section of the CBA, not even taking into account the possibility that the rules themselves will change, especially to address the disparity between international and non-international players that created this uncertainty in the first place. While two months before the draft should be enough time for teams to adjust their thinking and they should have already been scouting Jocyte for years, the league should have found ways to get this ruling out sooner. Her promise as a prospect and the knowledge that she was born in the United States have been in the public for years. For the benefit of everyone, including other players, this interpretation should have made without the need for her agency to get involved.
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