The Golden State Valkyries have taken their first steps towards constructing a roster for his or her inaugural season in 2025, and Friday’s enlargement draft suggests there will likely be considerably extra turnover for them within the close to future.
Basic supervisor Ohemaa Nyanin and head coach Natalie Nakase emphasised the competitiveness of the group they drafted, and mixed with proprietor Joe Lacob’s aim of profitable a title inside 5 years, there’s a need to be good now. The consequence of choosing a bunch able to contend in 2025 implies that it’s troublesome to see the long-term imaginative and prescient of this explicit set of 11 gamers.
For starters, Golden State drafted a veteran-heavy group, as seven of its 11 picks are not less than 27 years outdated, which was the common age throughout the WNBA in 2024. Two are signed by means of 2025 whereas the rest are up for brand spanking new contracts. That leaves the Valkyries at a little bit of a drawback in roster-building for the long run as a result of they don’t have prolonged group management of these gamers.
Introducing your first-ever Golden State Valkyries. That is just the start of our journey.
Enlargement Draft offered by @CarMax. pic.twitter.com/8WU5mOYGRy
— Golden State Valkyries (@wnbagoldenstate) December 7, 2024
That scenario is partly out of Golden State’s management; solely two veterans (i.e., gamers not on rookie contracts) league-wide are signed previous the 2025 season as gamers search to take care of their freedom earlier than the implementation of a brand new collective bargaining settlement. However the Valkyries not solely chosen gamers who’ve brief contracts, but additionally internationals who’ve had sporadic relationships with the WNBA.
Julie Vanloo was a 31-year-old rookie in 2024. Temi Fagbenle had a four-year hole from the WNBA from 2020 to 2023. Cecilia Zandalasini was out of the league for 5 years earlier than returning to Minnesota this season. Iliana Rupert has missed two of the final 4 WNBA seasons resulting from nationwide group commitments. Maria Conde has by no means performed for the WNBA regardless of being drafted in 2019, and he or she informed The Athletic that taking part in for Spain would at all times be her precedence in the course of the summer time. Golden State is taking a danger that these gamers will likely be accessible and prepared to play regardless of a monitor report that means in any other case.
The primary query Nyanin addressed in her information convention Friday was about Conde, and Nyanin admitted that she doesn’t know if the Spanish nationwide will come stateside in 2025. Conversations are crucial along with her, Carla Leite and the aforementioned European gamers, particularly since EuroBasket begins on June 18, 2025, and lasts for 2 weeks. The Valkyries are largely ranging from scratch, too. For example, when Zandalasini got here again to the Lynx, it helped that Cheryl Reeve was nonetheless the coach. Apart from Rupert and Nakase, who have been each in Las Vegas in 2022, there aren’t many established relationships with these gamers.
“This complete course of is advanced, there’s numerous unknown, and I’ll say that advert nauseam, sadly,” Nyanin stated. “I’m it from the human perspective, like what can we proceed to specific to those athletes that make them need to come and play on this Valkyrie violet and black and white.”
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Golden State additionally seemingly prioritized win-now gamers over youthful ones who may take time to develop. Solely one in all their choices is underneath a rookie contract, and although Kate Martin initiatives to be a advantageous participant, she doesn’t essentially have star upside. The Valkyries probably may have taken swings on gamers comparable to Alissa Pili (Lynx), Shaneice Swain (Sparks draftee) or Han Xu (Liberty) however selected to take recognized portions in Zandalasini, Stephanie Talbot (Sparks) and Kayla Thornton (Liberty). Washington probably had an excellent longer record of younger gamers unprotected, and Golden State went with the 31-year-old Vanloo regardless of additionally drafting Veronica Burton (Wings) and Leite at level guard.
“These are gamers which are hungry. … They’re gamers that might have began on different groups,” Nakase stated about their veterans. “I’m simply actually excited to present them the chance.”
These selections make sense for the 2025 iteration of the Valkyries. Establishing a tradition of competitiveness immediately could be probably the most prudent transfer for an enlargement group. Win now, develop a fame and develop into a pretty free-agent vacation spot. Golden State’s enlargement choices are additionally high-character veterans who could possibly be worthwhile recruiting instruments in the course of the offseason.
The Valkyries additionally aren’t sure to maintain any of those gamers. They will assemble a completely new roster in free company. Thornton and Talbot are additionally on simply tradable contracts if one other group is .
No matter what path Golden State pursues from right here, it’s additionally true that the Valkyries punted on a chance to construct for the long run with youthful gamers. They don’t have a deep pool of younger expertise from this draft. That doesn’t preclude long-term success, but it surely does imply the entrance workplace must maintain turning over this roster, as veterans have a tendency to maneuver extra steadily than gamers on rookie offers.
Consequently, for all the joy surrounding this crop of Golden State Valkyries, it might be stunning if the vast majority of them suited up on Might 16. Setting apart the uncertainty relating to participant availability, Golden State nonetheless wants to determine a route for its roster, which would require extra maneuvering. The Valkyries have solely simply begun.
(Photograph of Chiney Ogwumike and Natalie Nakase: Mike Rasay / NBAE by way of Getty Pictures)
