The WNBA’s newest franchise, the Golden State Valkyries, selected 11 players at the WNBA expansion draft Friday including 7 internationals as their first official act as a club
The Valkyries, who will begin play in the WNBA next summer, built a foundation which blends both size, and skill, as well as some players who could flourish if given a larger on court role. Friday was the first expansion draft since 2008 when the Atlanta Dream joined the league.
“Our goal was to construct a roster that embodies both versatility and depth, bringing in a strong mix of leadership, defense, and scoring ability,” general manager Ohemaa Nyanin said. “These players were carefully chosen not only for their skills on the court, but also for their ability to fit into the culture we’re working to build here at Golden State.”
The 12 existing WNBA teams were able to protect up to six players, making them exempt from the expansion draft. Unrestricted free agents who have already played the maximum two years on contracts signed with the core designation were also exempt from the draft. The league did not however make the list of protected players public prior to Friday.
Valkyries’ expansion draft selections
| FORMER TEAM | PLAYER | POSITION |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Dream | Iliana Rupert | Center |
| Chicago Sky | Maria Conde | Forward |
| Connecticut Sun | Veronica Burton | Guard |
| Dallas Wings | Carla Leite | Guard |
| Indiana Fever | Temi Fagbenle | Center |
| Las Vegas Aces | Kate Martin | Guard |
| Los Angeles Sparks | Stephanie Talbot | Forward |
| Minnesota Lynx | Cecilia Zandalasini | Forward |
| New York Liberty | Kayla Thornton | Forward |
| Phoenix Mercury | Monique Billings | Forward |
| Seattle Storm | Pass | N/A |
| Washington Mystics | Julie Vanloo | Guard |
With the draft now complete, Golden State can now operate like any other WNBA franchise and make trades, free agent signings and more.
Photo: Kew Gardens 613. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.