The Golden State Valkyries simply existing was already a win for the Bay Area and the WNBA. Success on the court for the league's newest team is an added bonus. Through nine games, the Valkyries hold a 4-5 record — they're not world-beaters, but they're considerably more competitive than anyone expected them to be through nearly a quarter of their debut season. Most recently, they beat the Los Angeles Sparks in overtime, and crushed the ultra-talented Las Vegas Aces in one of the more surprising WNBA outcomes of the season.
As of right now, ESPN gives the Valkyries a 27.5 percent chance to make the WNBA Playoffs. If they do sneak into the field of eight, they would be the first expansion team in WNBA history to make the postseason in their debut season. If they can finish .500 or better, they would become the first expansion to reach that mark in their first year, too.
How do the Golden State Valkyries compare to other WNBA expansion teams?
It's night and day. Before this year, the WNBA hadn't expanded since 2008, when the Atlanta Dream debuted. The league is pretty much unrecognizable now from how it looked in 2008, but the difference in records is stark nonetheless. It took the Dream an entire season to win four games, and the Sky (who debuted two years earlier) barely eclipsed that mark in a whole year.
I don't know how the rest of the Valkyries season will go, but I'm confident they will perform better than a 1-36 record, so I think they'll safely pass five wins.
The Golden State Valkyries are (4–5) through nine games to start their inaugural season. Here’s a look at how the last two expansion teams performed over the course of their first full seasons ⤵️
— I talk hoops 🏀 (@trendyhoopstars) June 10, 2025
Chicago (2006) — 5-29
Atlanta (2008) — 4-30 pic.twitter.com/NznJGosIrl
Who is the leading scorer for the Valkyries?
Golden State is getting production from veterans and young players alike. Kayla Thornton is leading the Valkyries in scoring at 13.6 points, while also pacing them in rebounds (6.9) and steals (2.1) per game. Veronica Burton, Tiffany Hayes and Temi Fagbenle have all contributed to
But perhaps the most promising development for Golden State this year has been the emergence of undrafted rookie Janelle Salaun, who scored a career-high 21 points against the Sparks and is now No. 4 in rookie scoring behind just Paige Bueckers, Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron.
Salaun's ability to create her own shot has been massively important for a Golden State team that can occasionally get sluggish on offense. This year is a trial run for the Valkyries, so to potentially find a franchise player would be borderline miraculous.
Valkyries set to temporarily lose key players to Eurobasket tournament
The WNBA will look a lot different in the coming weeks, as the EuroBasket tournament tips off and hordes of players will go represent their countries in international play. For the Valkyries, that means losing Julie Vanloo (Belgium), Cecilia Zandalasini (Italy), and perhaps Temi Fagbenle (Great Brittan).