The Indiana Fever announced today that they have signed Charlotte Crown forward Michelle Onyiah.
The move makes Onyiah the first player in UPSHOT League history to earn a WNBA contract.
“This validates every vision that [UPSHOT League Commissioner] Donna Orender and [Zawyer Sports and Entertainment CEO] Andy Kaufmann had,” said Crown head coach Trisha Stafford-Odom. “It verifies the fact that this is a legitimate league. It verifies and validates the fact that the WNBA powers that be – the general managers and coaches – do have their eye on this league. UPSHOT is real.”
The 6-foot-3 Onyiah has appeared in 21 games for the Crown this season and is currently tied for the league lead in blocks per game (1.1) and ranked third in rebounds per game (6.9). The 24-year-old is also averaging 9.6 points and 0.8 assists.
Prior to turning pro Onyiah was a standout at Cal, averaging 8.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.0 block over five seasons. After completing her collegiate career she spent the 2024-25 campaign with Basket Namur Capitale in Belgium’s top professional league then signed a training camp contract with the New York Liberty on April 14, 2026, before being waived prior to the regular season.