Shey Peddy is quickly becoming one of the WNBA’s most recognizable names. If you didn’t already know her from her buzzer-beating three-pointer from a year ago, you might know her for consistently performing on the biggest stage possible: the WNBA playoffs. Peddy has helped lead her team to the WNBA Finals, though it hasn’t always been this easy for the 32-year-old guard. Peddy’s basketball journey has been anything but typical up until this point, but that’s what makes it all the more special. There were many points where most people would’ve thrown in the towel and given up, but not Peddy. Her resilience and determination continued to shine through, even in the darkest of times.
WNBA Phenom Shey Peddy: A Journey
College
Back in the year 2012, Shey Peddy graduated from the University of Temple. Her collegiate career started at Wright State University, where she played her freshman and sophomore season. After averaging 12.1 PPG on 39.6% from the field, Peddy transferred to Temple.
After being redshirted for what would’ve been her junior season, Peddy returned to form in her actual junior season. It was her senior season, though, that she played arguably the best basketball of her collegiate career. Peddy averaged 17.6 PPG, 3.1 APG, and 3.1 SPG while shooting the most efficiently since her freshman season. It was also her senior season that saw her winning the Atlantic 10 Conference’s player of the year, as well as First-team All-Atlantic.
WNBA Draft
Peddy’s impressive collegiate play was rewarded by being drafted by the Chicago Sky at the tail end of the 2nd round (pick 23). Only twelve days after she had signed the contract, the Sky waived her. The depth the Sky had at guard was too much to overcome, and because of that, Peddy was a free agent, not even a month after she was drafted.
Unfortunately, this was not an uncommon thing. Statistically, the WNBA is one of the hardest professional leagues to make a team. Unlike its male counterpart, which has a hypothetical 450 players on a team at one point, the WNBA has just 144 roster spots to give out, which can sometimes be less.
The tragic reality of that is, barring expansion (which is on the horizon), there will forever be a staggering number of women who will never be able to live out their dream of playing in the WNBA, due to the limited number of teams that can only roster twelve players. Peddy was just the latest victim of not ideal circumstances.
Overseas & back to the WNBA
Peddy found herself playing overseas with the team Hapoel Rishon in Israel after being cut in Washington Mystics training camp. The conditions were less than ideal, and in general, she was “overwhelmed.” Her time spent playing in Austria was the lowest of lows for Peddy, who contemplated quitting basketball entirely. She powered through, however, and in 2019, was nominated for MVP with TTTRiga of Latvia.
Then, after 6 years, The Mystics invited Peddy back to training camp. The excitement was short-lived, however, as she was cut again within two weeks. Peddy had her sights focused back on Europe, but they were quickly refocused on the States when Mike Thibault invited her back to the Mystics to be a replacement player. Both Emma Meessemen and Kim Mestdagh had obligations in Europe they had to fill, and Peddy ultimately benefited because of it.
She appeared in 15 games for the Mystics, playing 13 minutes at most in a single game. She averaged just 1.7 PPG in those 15 games and, after Meessemen and Mestdagh returned, she was once again released from the team. However, the team brought her back as a part of the coaching staff, and just so happened to win a championship ring with the 2019 Mystics.
Finding Her Place
In 2020, she ended up re-signing with the team, this time as a player. Peddy’s minutes increased from 4.7-12.9 MPG, and a lot of her stats followed that trend. Again, it was short-lived. The team released Peddy after appearing in 9 games, but this time was different. This time, another team other than the Mystics showed interest.
This set of circumstances is how she ended up on the Phoenix Mercury only two days after her release from Washington. Peddy appeared in 8 more games for the Mercury that season and averaged similar numbers on 17.9 MPG.
Then, the playoffs happened.
Peddy appeared in two of the Mercury’s playoff games and even started in one of them. Though she averaged a solid 7.5 PPG on good efficiency, she is (rightfully so) remembered for this shot she hit against her former team in the first round of a single-elimination playoff game. With so many elite options on offense, including Skylar Diggins-Smith and Diana Taurasi, the final shot fell to her. She did not disappoint. The Mercury liked what they saw, and brought her back for the next season.
Back For Round Two
This season, Peddy has appeared in every game, even starting five of them. Her minutes haven’t dramatically increased on average, but she’s averaging a career-high in multiple statistical categories. Those categories include points, assists, and overall efficiency.
Her game has only improved in the playoffs. Her minutes & what she has been asked to do have gone up, and she has delivered. In a win-or-go-home game, Peddy drew a foul on a three-point shot and converted on two free throws. Her play down the stretch help put her team in a position to win. And win they did, thanks in part to Brittney Griner’s blocked shot.
Shey Peddy’s story is one of perseverance. At one point, it seemed like her dream of playing in the WNBA was dead. She was at rock bottom at some points, but she never gave up.
Even Peddy’s teammates recognize how powerful her story is.
Skylar Diggins-Smith talking about Shey Peddy in the postgame conference got me misty, not gonna lie pic.twitter.com/3bzhhrNllk
— Lyndsey D'Arcangelo 🏀 (@darcangel21) October 9, 2021
Peddy’s hard work and resilience were what earned her a roster spot that she has yet to relinquish. She has shown herself to be a quality player, even on the biggest stage when all eyes are on her. Though she may be 32 years old, the veteran guard still has plenty left in the tank.
Main Photo
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