As the Golden State Valkyries ramp up to make their debut in the 2025 WNBA season, they've begun to carefully select who will be suiting up for the groundbreaking team. Most recently, the Valkyries targeted Indiana Fever's center Temi Fagbenle, snatching her up in the WNBA expansion draft. This strategic maneuver was only one piece of their larger ambition to craft a versatile and competitive starting lineup, as reported by FOX59.
General Manager Ohemaa Nyanin had the complex task to quickly connect with each of the players personally before announcements went public, adjusting calls around their varied schedules—a challenge that Nyanin found to be worthwhile. “I just want these players to be happy,” she told WTHR. “I want them to understand the opportunity that they have to come and be historians.” Indeed, the players are set not only to make a mark on the court but also to entirely shape a fresh team culture from the ground up.
Alongside Fagbenle, the Valkyries have brought in a diversified group of athletes from across the league. This includes Iliana Rupert from Atlanta, Veronica Burton of Connecticut, Carla Leite of Dallas, and forward Maria Conde from Chicago. "We kind of did this cycle, where we collaborate, we discuss and then we go watch film, then do it again ... and that went over and over again for about two months," coach Natalie Nakase explained in a statement to WISH-TV. Their selections were filtered through thorough discussions and multiple film sessions, to ensure the chosen players align with the Valkyries' envisioned playbook.
The excitement around the team's formation is palpable among players as well. Las Vegas guard Kate Martin expressed her anticipation of the upcoming season. “It’s a part of history, a new WNBA team... It’s something super cool to be a part of," she said in an interview with WISH-TV. The roster of the Valkyries was rounded out without drafting from the Seattle Storm, leaving the Valkyries staff strategically positioned to further strengthen their team through other avenues, including free agency, which they plan to explore actively in February.
The team's connection to the Warriors is visible beyond administrative ties, with Warriors' star Draymond Green seen donning a Valkyries jersey during a game—a nod to the mutual support the basketball franchises share. As the Valkyries gear up to play their home games at the Chase Center, there's a bubbling enthusiasm for what will surely be an electrifying addition to WNBA.
