No Cap Space WBB Team Previews: Golden State Valkyries
Team number 2 in our 13-part series is the baby of the league, the brand-new franchise looking to make some noise in year one.
Yay Area! Your team is here. The time has finally come for the WNBA to debut its first new franchise since the Aces in 2018. The Golden State Valkyries hit the court in their inaugural season and it should be a fun one as the team works to find its identity.
While the Valkyries don’t have the pieces in place to contend for a championship, or even the playoffs, really, in year one, they do have a roster and a coaching staff with something to prove and should be competitive.
2024 Lookback:
0-0 Overall (Did not exist yet)
Head Coach Natalie Nakase hired
Ohemaa Nyanin hired as General Manager
2024 Leaders (via previous teams):
Tiffany Hayes (Las Vegas Aces): 9.5 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 2.1 APG
Monique Billings (Phoenix Mercury): 8.8 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.9 APG
Julie Vanloo (Washington Mystics): 7.4 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 4.3 APG
Who Was Acquired (via Expansion Draft):
Iliana Rupert (Atlanta Dream)
Maria Conde (Chicago Sky)
Carla Leite (Dallas Wings)
Temi Fagbenle (Indiana Fever)
Kate Martin (Las Vegas Aces)
Stephanie Talbot (Los Angeles Sparks)
Cecilia Zandalasini (Minnesota Lynx)
Kayla Thornton (New York Liberty)
Tiffany Hayes (Las Vegas Aces)
Monique Billings (Phoenix Mercury)
Julie Van Loo (Washington Mystics)
Who Was Signed:
Laeticia Amihere
Elisa Cunane
Draft Picks:
Juste Jocyte (Round 1, Pick 5)
Shyanne Sellers (Round 2, Pick 5)
Kaitlyn Chen (Round 3, Pick 5)
2025 Strengths:
They have a good mix of youth and experience, whether that be overseas or in the W. Tip Hayes is coming off a Sixth Woman of the Year campaign and can be an anchor for the team as they find their way. Monique Billings and Julie Vanloo are both accustomed to playing roles as starters and Temi Fagbenle is fresh off playing for the most watched team in the league and knows what it takes to keep a locker room together. The rest of the roster is comprised of talented players that either played an understated, yet important role such Kayla Thornton, or never really got to showcase their full range of abilities at their previous stops, like Laeticia Amihere. This group should be able to buy into head coach Natalie Nakase’s system with no issues.
2025 Weaknesses:
They don’t have their franchise player just yet. They weren’t able to get any of the big names to come home during this most recent free agency wave, but that doesn’t mean they can’t get it for next year.
2025 Outlook:
They’ll be competitive, though the win column might not fill up in year one. They have players that know how to play the game of basketball and a coach with championship experience so they should take their lumps gracefully as they get their footing in the league.