The Golden State Valkyries have already become one of the feel-good stories of the 2025 WNBA season. The team is off to a 2-1 start and look poised to make a playoff push in their first year of existence.
While this is Natalie Nakase's first WNBA head coaching gig, it certainly does not feel like it. After losing their home opener against the Los Angeles Sparks in front of a sellout crowd, the team has won two games in a row against the Washington Mystics and the Sparks.
However, the Valkyries are still not maximizing their roster. On Tueday, they announced that they were starting veteran Stephanie Talbot once again instead of Carla Leite, who has been on a tear to begin the season.
Valkyries need to start Carla Leite
Leite is just 21 years old and has only three games of WNBA experience under her belt. However, the nearly 31-year-old Talbot is not impacting the game in the way that Leite is.
Through three contests, Talbot is contributing just 2.0 points, 1.5 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game. Still, coach Nakase chose to start her over Leite, who has been averaging 10.3 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per night in the early going.
A starting lineup of Leite, Veronica Burton, Janelle Salaün, Kayla Thornton and Temi Fágbénlé would be a great group, especially with players like Kate Martin, Julie Vanloo and Monique Billings coming off the bench.
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When Tiffany Hayes returns from injury, the lineup could be shaken up again, but for now, the Valkyries need to embrace the youthful presence on their roster. Not much is expected of the team this season, and while they would love to push for a playoff spot, it is ultimately more important for this team to build toward the future.
Leite, Salaün, Martin and Burton are all 25 years old or younger, which is an incredible building block for this franchise. Only one player is 35 years or older, so the quicker this team can throw their young players into the fire, the better.
Golden State is one of the most exciting teams in the league to watch, especially for their passionate local fan base. If they want the team to keep ascending at the rate that they are, then it is paramount to give the youngest — and arguably the most promising — player on the team an ample opportunity to grow.