Kansas Signs Belgian Forward Claessens
Last week, Kansas made a noteworthy addition to their roster by signing Belgian forward Nasciacresen.
This move is significant for a few reasons.
Firstly, Claessens is quite talented. Standing at 6-foot-1, the 20-year-old has played professionally in Spain as well as her home country. This summer, she was also part of the Belgian national team at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, where Belgium clinched the Eurobasket title. During the tournament, Claessens averaged 5.2 points and 1.8 rebounds per game, with an impressive shooting percentage of 42.9% from beyond the arc.
Earlier in 2024, before heading to the Olympics, she contributed significantly to Belgium’s performance at the FIBA U20 Women’s Eurobasket, where she averaged 17.7 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in seven games. For Jeff Mitty’s Wildcats, her addition could bolster the team alongside players like Serena Sundell and Ayoka Lee.
There’s an intriguing aspect to Claessens as well.
She was selected by the Washington Mystics as the 30th overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft.
Although Claessens hasn’t officially signed or practiced with the Mystics, she’s still eligible for the NCAA. However, now that she’s joined Kansas, questions about her professional trajectory have emerged. Fans and some coaches are curious—will the Mystics keep her rights?
The collective bargaining agreement established by the WNBA and its players in 2020 provides some clarity here.
Essentially, it states: “If a player participates in intercollegiate basketball, the drafted team holds exclusive WNBA rights to negotiate and sign that player for up to a year from the draft date, contingent on whether or not the player maintains NCAA eligibility.”
In simpler terms, if a player doesn’t sign with the team that drafted her or if she remains NCAA eligible, the team keeps her WNBA rights for a year after her college eligibility ends. Sources familiar with the CBA have confirmed this interpretation to SB Nation.
So, hypothetically speaking, if Claessens plays four years of college basketball, her eligibility would expire in 2029. As long as the Mystics submit the necessary bids by seven days after the 2029 WNBA Draft, they would have the exclusive right to negotiate a contract with her until 2030.
However, it’s essential to note that the current CBA has expired this year, meaning this aspect of the contract might be revised.
If you’re curious about how Claessens got drafted before even playing college basketball, it has to do with the WNBA’s different eligibility rules for international players. Those outside the U.S. can enter drafts in the year they turn 20. Claessens celebrated her 20th birthday last December.
It’ll be interesting to see what the Mystics decide regarding Claessens’ rights.
She was drafted by an organization under previous leadership, as Mike Thibaut was the general manager and his son Eric served as head coach. Both were let go at the end of the 2024 season and replaced by Jamila Weidman and Sidney Johnson. The Mystics have yet to respond to inquiries from SB Nation.
Adding to the storyline, Mike Thibaut was recently hired to coach the Belgian national team, leading them to the Eurobasket title this summer. Meanwhile, Eric Thibaut is currently an assistant coach with the Minnesota Lynx.
