SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Valkyries did not got down to type an international-heavy roster by way of Friday’s WNBA enlargement draft because the league’s thirteenth franchise continues to take form. Heading into the draft, head coach Natalie Nakase and common supervisor Ohemaa Nyanin stated the nonnegotiable attributes they emphasised have been “competitiveness, excessive character and a by no means glad mindset.”
However by the top of the draft, Nakase and Nyanin could not assist however be struck by their roster’s preliminary worldwide presence. Seven of the 11 gamers the Valkyries chosen Friday hail from exterior the US.
“The worldwide half … that wasn’t my mindset,” Nakase stated. “It was constructing the most effective group that I wished to construct.”
Friday’s choices included Temi Fagbenle (Nice Britain), Stephanie Talbot (Australia), Julie Vanloo (Belgium), Maria Conde (Spain), Cecilia Zandalasini (Italy) and Iliana Rupert and Carla Leite, each of whom hail from France.
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Nakase stated she was notably excited by Fagbenle’s availability within the draft. In 2024, the veteran Indiana Fever ahead constructed an immediate rapport with No. 1 decide Caitlin Clark and broke into the beginning lineup simply seven video games into the season. Fagbenle’s defensive presence was a significant component for the Fever. Nevertheless, she performed simply 22 video games after struggling three accidents.
Golden State additionally acquired gamers who’ve made their mark within the WNBA, together with Kate Martin and Kayla Thornton.
Martin, who was drafted by the Las Vegas Aces in 2024, is being reunited with Nakase, who served as an assistant coach on Becky Hammon’s workers. Early in her rookie season, Martin carved out a considerable position because the Aces battled quite a few accidents. She averaged 19.3 minutes over her first 10 video games and shot 37% from 3-point vary.
However as Las Vegas regained its well being, Martin’s tasks shrank. She offers the Valkyries a younger participant with a excessive ceiling.
Thornton, an eight-year veteran, helped the New York Liberty safe their first WNBA title this previous season. She performed in 11 playoff video games and averaged 12.5 minutes per recreation — the second-most minutes amongst New York’s reserves. She is one in every of 4 Valkyries draftees who’ve received a WNBA championship.
“Having championship expertise is important,” Nakase stated. “You’ve got been in these huge moments. You are in these huge locker room conferences and people practices that go right down to the little particulars with the playoffs. So yeah, that was an enormous piece into bringing this group collectively. Now we have a objective, and we wish to get there with the precise gamers but in addition with the precise minds on the identical time.”
The picks have been introduced in three teams of 4 in alphabetical order by group title:
Atlanta Dream: Iliana Rupert, C
Chicago Sky: Maria Conde, F
Connecticut Solar: Veronica Burton, G
Dallas Wings: Carla Leite, PG
Indiana Fever: Temi Fagbenle, C
Las Vegas Aces: Kate Martin, G
Sparks: Stephanie Talbot, F
Minnesota Lynx: Cecilia Zandalasini, F
New York Liberty: Kayla Thornton, F
Phoenix Mercury: Monique Billings, F
Washington Mystics: Julie Vanloo, G
“Our objective was to assemble a roster that embodies each versatility and depth, bringing in a powerful mixture of management, protection, and scoring capacity,” Nyanin stated. “These gamers have been fastidiously chosen not just for their abilities on the court docket, but in addition for his or her capacity to suit into the tradition we’re working to construct right here at Golden State.”
Billings was the one unrestricted free agent the Valkyries acquired, however Nyanin didn’t decide to giving her the core designation. Presently in China, Billings is the one participant Nyanin was not in touch with on draft day.
Golden State opted to not choose a participant from the Seattle Storm, with Nyanin saying she did not really feel any of the Storm’s obtainable gamers would make the affect the Valkyries have been in search of.
In a considerably stunning transfer, the Valkyries opted to not make any trades on draft day, though the group stated it held a number of conferences with groups across the league. Nyanin stated she wished to draft gamers she may see being part of the franchise shifting ahead, reasonably than as an asset for a commerce decide.
Solely three of the gamers Golden State chosen are at the moment beneath contract for 2025, leaving Golden State $1.2 million in cap house, the league’s second-highest whole after the Connecticut Solar, based on HerHoopStats.
This offers the Valkyries numerous flexibility to function inside free company, which begins in January.
“We wish to be aggressive from day one … so we’ll put our greatest foot ahead,” Nyanin stated concerning how aggressive the group plans to be in free company. “We wish to make sure that … they know we would like them. Hopefully after we name, they are saying, ‘Sure, 100%,’ and so they’re coming.”
Friday marked the WNBA’s first enlargement draft because the Dream joined the league in 2008. All 12 of the WNBA’s different groups have been capable of shield as much as six gamers — together with those that completed the season on their roster and all others to whom the group holds rights. These six gamers have been exempt from the enlargement draft, as have been unrestricted free brokers who’ve already performed the utmost two years on contracts signed with the core designation.
The league didn’t make the listing of protected gamers public.
The Valkyries may select just one participant from every group, and just one whole unrestricted free agent, who then turns into eligible to be designated a core participant by the Valkyries. WNBA groups are allowed 12 gamers on the roster, and the Valkyries will proceed to construct out their personnel in free company in addition to within the WNBA draft on April 14, when the Valkyries have the Nos. 5, 17 and 29 picks.
Forward of the 2026 season, the WNBA will maintain further enlargement drafts for Portland and Toronto, the league’s 14th and fifteenth groups. WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert has stated she expects the league to develop to 16 groups by 2028.
Final month, Rock Leisure Group, which can also be tied to the NBA’s Cavaliers, stated it might bid to carry a WNBA enlargement group to Cleveland. Philadelphia, Denver and South Florida are amongst different cities stated to be exploring enlargement bids.
The Valkyries will start play within the WNBA subsequent summer time and host the Los Angeles Sparks on opening day on Could 16.