Finally, the Valkyries of the Golden State have an inaugural list.
The franchise announced the player roster for its upcoming debut season on Friday, selecting players from 11 of the 12 WNBA existing franchises. Their selections are highlighted by former The Aces of Las Vegas guard Kate Martin, Connecticut Sun visor Veronica Burton And Freedom of New York Before Kayla Thornton. Seven of Golden State’s 11 selections — the team chose not to select a player from Seattle Storm – were players born outside the United States.
“We are excited to have officially begun the journey of building the 2025 Golden State Valkyries team,” general manager Ohemaa Nyanin said in a statement. “Our goal was to build a team that embodies both versatility and depth, bringing a strong blend of leadership, defense and scoring ability. These players were carefully chosen not only for their skills on the court, but also for their ability to fit into the culture we are working to build here at Golden State.
The full list of selected players is as follows:
Monica Billings (Phoenix Mercury)
Burton (Connecticut Sun)
Maria Conde (Chicago Sky)
Carla Leite (Dallas Wings)
Martin (Las Vegas Ace)
Iliana Rupert (Dream of Atlanta)
Stephanie Talbot (The Sparks of Los Angeles)
Thornton (Liberty of New York)
Julie Vanloo (Washington Mystics)
Cecilia Zandalasini (Minnesota Lynx)
The WNBA approved the Bay Area franchise in October 2023, making it the league’s first expansion team since the Atlanta Dream in 2008. The Dream was the 14th WNBA franchise at the time, but the contraction of the Houston Comets and the Sacramento Monarchs in the following years left the league with 12 clubs, a constant number for 15 years.
Before their expansion draft, each of the 12 teams submitted a list to the league including up to six players they were protecting. This list was taken from all players a team had rights to, including each team’s active, suspended, drafted/reserved, basic and retired lists, as of the last day of the 2024 regular season. When choosing a player, Golden State has acquired his contract or negotiating rights because it’s possible that everyone they selected Friday won’t appear in the WNBA. They also could have only selected one unrestricted free agent, and they did that by signing Billings from the Mercury. Key to this choice, she is still eligible to be eliminated.
Coach Natalie Nakase said entering the draft that she had three non-negotiables for Golden State’s first group of players. She wanted ultra-competitive players, with “character” and a never-satisfied state of mind. Nakase also said she wants Golden State to play at a fast pace and shoot a lot of 3s. Their selections seem to reflect the fact that, in that the two centers they selected (Rupert and Fagbenle), are all two capable rim runners and that Rupert can spread the floor from the perimeter.
“Competitive,” Nyanin said of what she was looking for in their first team. “There are a lot of unknowns in building a team on a blank canvas, you just don’t know. That’s why we focused on the competitive spirit that each of these individuals possesses individually and now, hopefully, collectively.
Their inaugural roster includes players of varying experience levels. Leite turns 21 in April and was a first-round draft pick of the Dallas Wings last season, but never played in the WNBA. Fagbenle, meanwhile, was drafted in 2016 and, at 32, will be the veteran of the group.
Regardless of player age and experience, Golden State seemed to prioritize players on cheap contracts. They’re ready to make a splash in free agency, whether it’s this winter or in the upcoming offseasons. Teams will be able to start negotiating with players on January 21, while contracts and offers can be signed from February 1.
“I think we’re ready to talk to anyone who wants to have a conversation with us to be part of this journey,” Nyanin said. “We’re really excited to welcome these free agents and these college athletes as well, and we just wanted to give ourselves as much flexibility to be able to go get athletes in the near future.”
Nyanin described the Valkyries’ process as “complex” in how they evolved through different versions of what a potential team could look like, even before wards were submitted. Throughout the process, however, they have sought to ensure Golden State has a balanced roster.
The Valkyries will debut on May 16 against the Los Angeles Sparks, playing their home games at the Chase Center in San Francisco, which is also the organization’s home arena. NBA team, the Warriors.
Nyanin was hired in early May and at the end of that month the franchise made his name public. Nakase was hired as head coach in mid-October after serving as an assistant with the Las Vegas Aces.
Before even selecting a single player, the franchise was already attracting record interest from its home market. As of mid-November, the franchise had more than 20,000 season ticket deposits, having been the first women’s sports team in history to surpass the 15,000 season ticket mark.
This article was originally published in Athletics.
Golden State Valkyries, WNBA
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