The Golden State Valkyries, in only their second year of competition, are already considered contenders for the WNBA championship. The team's unexpected success comes despite not relying on a traditional "big three" or a single top-10 player. Instead, the Valkyries have built their performance on a foundation of elite role players executing an unselfish style of basketball.
Coach Natalie Nakase has been instrumental in maximizing the talent within her roster. "They’ve done a great job of collecting the players for how they want to play," said coach Chris DeMarco. "They got a lot of versatility, a lot of toughness, a lot of extra-effort players that are really bought in. They do a great job."
The Valkyries' ascendance as an expansion franchise is notable. They reached the playoffs in their inaugural season and are poised for a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in their second year. This stands in contrast to fellow expansion teams the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, who have been eliminated from playoff contention.
DeMarco highlighted the synergy between Nakase and general manager Ohemaa Nyanin as a key factor in the team's prosperity. "I do think there’s value in being able to look across the league and be like, ‘Hey, this is the type of player that fit well in my system,’ " he stated. "And they hit a home run on them."
In parallel news, several Valkyries players and their WNBA teammates are preparing for international competition. Marine Johannes and Pauline Astier have been selected to represent France in the upcoming FIBA World Cup in Berlin. However, fellow French guard and Olympic silver medalist Marine Fauthoux did not make the roster, stating she did not receive an explanation for her omission. "I don’t know, I’m not on the roster," Fauthoux commented. "I will cheer for my team."
Other players with ties to the New York Liberty, including Breanna Stewart (USA), Leonie Fiebich (Germany), Han Xu (China), and Raquel Carrera (Spain), are also expected to participate in the World Cup, which runs from September 4-13. Stewart has emphasized the importance of her team, the Liberty, to "turn the page" as they navigate the end of the regular season and look toward the playoffs. "With the playoffs around the corner, the playoffs bring new life, and that’s a completely different, almost, season," said Sabrina Ionescu. "It’s just knowing we have to control where we’re at, where our feet are at, and knowing we have to finish these games off before the break really strong, and then come back after break, and it’s like the playoffs."