Former Davidson Day Standout Maya Caldwell Returns to WNBA

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Maya Caldwell has a fever – and the only cure is basketball.

“To me, basketball is… pretty much everything.”

Caldwell, a 5’11 homegrown queen of the Queen City who skied over the competition while at Davidson Day and the University of Georgia, is officially a member of the Indiana Fever of the WNBA.

“Being back on a WNBA team is a dream of mine… something I’ve been working towards, and to finally sign a season contract means the world to me.”

She’s ready to resume a red-hot career at the highest level of her sport, but her path wasn’t always so warm.

“When I got drafted by Indiana in ‘21, I got cut kind of early in the camp, and it was very disappointing and I told myself, ‘dang, I’m not doing enough, I’m not good enough to be here.’ But, I also said, ‘I’m not good enough to be here yet.’”

She eventually was picked up by the Atlanta Dream – and scored 18 points in her WNBA debut. Again, though, she found herself off the roster – but that didn’t stop *her* dream.

“They cut me on the very last day of training camp… so, now I’m thinking, whatever God has for me is going to blow my mind. And that’s exactly what happened.”

After a successful stint in Europe averaging over 15 points per game, she’s back with the team that drafted her in Indianapolis.

“It’s a full-circle moment. To be back in Indiana where I started is a true blessing and I’m excited to see where this program goes.”

And her parents, former ball players themselves, couldn’t be prouder.

“The journey has been great. It’s just so much fun,” says Maya’s mother, Pat Caldwell. “So much fun seeing my children grow with her.”

“I knew that, regardless of what path she took, she could definitely pick herself up and keep going,” adds Bernard Caldwell, Maya’s father.

The WNBA regular season is only two months away, and Caldwell is looking forward to being a real headache for teams opposing her Fever.

“Whenever you fall short of a goal, or a dream, if you have that dog in you, you’re going to keep working, and you’re going to keep grinding. That goes for everything in life. Whether you’re on the court, or on the field, or in the classroom, in the office, it’s taught me that in everything I do, to never give up, because something is always there for me.”