On March 7, Deadline reported the second round of actors to appear in the adaptation of the popular young adult fantasy series “Children of Blood and Bone.”

Temi Fagbenle. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Among them, one name in particular stood out, that of former Indiana Fever player Temi Fagbenle.

The highly anticipated adaptation already boasts some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, including Viola Davis, Idris Elba and Cynthia Erivo.

Now, Fagbenle will find herself sharing the screen with some of TV and film’s best talent in her acting debut.

The 2024 season was the most impactful Fagbenle has had in her career, with her contributions on the court helping the Fever make it to the playoffs.

Therefore, it came as a shock to fans across the league during the December 2024 WNBA expansion draft when the Fever chose not to protect Fagbenle.

This ultimately led to her being selected to join the roster for the newest WNBA franchise, the Golden State Valkyries.

However, with this news now being made public, it could be that the Fever were made aware of Fagbenle’s pending commitments outside of basketball and chose to use their sixth expansion protection spot on another player who would definitely be all in during a new season where they’re pushing for a championship ring.

With that being said, what does this mean for Fagbenle and the Valkyries? League rules state that players must report to their team by the start of training camp, which falls on April 27, or else they’ll be suspended for the entire season.

It’s not clear whether Fagbenle will choose to sit out this year and prioritize her acting, but it’s looking likely as filming for the series is already underway. Despite receiving a restricted qualifying offer two months ago during free agency, the Valkyries’ new center is still yet to officially sign.

Fagbenle wouldn’t be the first player to sit out a season due to other commitments and she’s not the first to have a venture outside of basketball considering how little players are paid under the current collective bargaining agreement.

Players such as Jewell Loyd of the Las Vegas Aces and Allisha Gray and Aerial Powers of the Atlanta Dream own a finance firm, restaurant and one of the largest professional e-sports gaming teams in the world, respectively, supplementing their relatively low WNBA salaries.

While the Fever picked up key bench pieces during free agency earlier this year that will effectively fill the gap left by Fagbenle, the Valkyries didn’t have as much luck in convincing veteran players to spend the next year building a brand-new team.

Now, after securing what they thought was a steal of a piece, they potentially won’t get to use her in their inaugural season.

It’s not clear what role Fagbenle will play in “Children of Blood and Bone.” However, there are still over six weeks before training camp commences and for plans to be made clear for the 2025 season.

In addition, this gives time for the Valkyries to plan their roster, should Fagbenle not sign with them this year.