Phillips, the daughter of Port Adelaide icon Greg, was the standout player in the AFL’s inaugural women’s competition, finishing the season with the league’s top honour at the W-Awards, a club champion award, All Australian selection, Goal of the Year and being named best on ground in Adelaide’s grand final win.

Phillips had only recently returned to basketball in the US before today’s shock announcement, which brought the Wings down to their 12-player roster for the beginning of the WNBA season.

Compounding the surprise was the fact Phillips had served as a co-captain of the team last season.

Just Announced: Dallas Wings waive Erin Phillips

— Dallas Wings (@DallasWings) May 10, 2017

“That is definitely a huge surprise,” Wings guard Skylar Diggins-Smith told local US media.

“Erin is somebody who has been in this league for a long time. Two-time champion, somebody that I have so much respect for as a woman and as an athlete.”

Phillips, a nine-year WNBA veteran, joined the Wings ahead of the 2016 season in a trade with the Los Angeles Sparks. She averaged 4.7 points and 1.2 assists in 32 games and 12 starts for the Wings last season.

Dallas news outlet SportsDayDFW reports head coach Fred Williams saying via conference call: “It’s not an easy decision for me coaching in this league.”

The Wings have also cut fellow veterans Tiffany Bias and Jordan Hooper in recent days.

The Crows told InDaily neither they nor Phillips had any comment at this point.

Phillips has played in championships with the Indiana Fever in 2012 and the Phoenix Mercury in 2014 and has won gold with the national Opals team at the 2006 gold world championships and silver at the 2008 Olympics.

She can now be signed by any other interested WNBA team.