Golden State Valkyries Emerge as WNBA Powerhouse in Second Season
The expansion team is drawing sold-out crowds and challenging for a championship, revitalizing basketball interest in the Bay Area.
The Golden State Valkyries are quickly becoming a dominant force in the WNBA, capturing the attention of the league and their home market in just their second season. The team finished the regular season in second place with a 72.7% winning percentage and is heading into the postseason with aspirations of winning the championship.
Chase Center, the team's home arena, has seen every game sold out, underscoring the burgeoning popularity of women's basketball in the Bay Area. This success comes as the region's established NBA team, the Golden State Warriors, have faced challenges in recent playoff runs.
The Valkyries, the WNBA's first expansion team since 2008, have exceeded expectations under the guidance of Head Coach Natalie Nakase. Nakase's strategy focuses on strong defense and balanced offensive production, rather than relying on a single star player. This approach has led to consistent scoring from starters Gabby Williams and Veronica Burton, as well as impactful contributions from reserve Janelle Salaun, who set a league record for most points scored by a bench player in a season with 509.
The team boasts the WNBA's highest-scoring bench in a season, averaging 35.9 points per game, and leads the league with the best defensive rating at 99.3.
The Valkyries' rapid ascent mirrors a broader period of growth for the WNBA. The league recently secured a new collective bargaining agreement that significantly increases the salary cap and player salaries. Furthermore, a new media rights deal worth over $3 billion and record-breaking attendance and ratings indicate a strong upward trajectory for women's professional basketball. The league anticipates expanding from 15 to 18 teams by 2030.
Financial success has followed on-court performance. The Valkyries were established with a record $50 million expansion fee paid by Warriors owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber in 2023. By 2026, the franchise was appraised at $1 billion, making it the first women's professional sports team to reach that valuation. This financial milestone was reported by CNBC and The Athletic.
The team's inaugural season saw them finish in eighth place, securing the final playoff spot, with Nakase earning Coach of the Year honors. Despite initial projections from oddsmakers that placed their season win total at 8.5, the Valkyries consistently outperformed expectations.
The Valkyries' success offers a potential blueprint for future WNBA expansion and provides the Bay Area with a new, exciting team to rally behind, particularly as the Warriors navigate the evolving landscape of professional basketball.