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Stephanie Talbot is gone, Iliana Rupert is in.
As the second half of the WNBA season begins, the Golden State Valkyries again have made a roster move, one with both a present and future focus.
Talbot played in 16 games with seven starts for Golden State, averaging 3.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 16.8 minutes per game. Her impact went beyond numbers, as at 31 years old she was a veteran presence that this young team needed. Now Talbot, who was on a protected contract and thus will receive all her $125,000 salary, is reunited with her Australian national team head coach Sandy Brondello, as she was signed by Brondello’s New York Liberty,
The Valkyries have added an immediate contributor in Rupert, whom they selected from the Atlanta Dream in the expansion draft.
At 24 years old and at 6-foot-4, Rupert is seven years younger and two inches taller than Talbot, making her more comfortable minding the middle. Although she was drafted No. 12 overall in the 2021 WNBA Draft by the Las Vegas Aces, she has yet to start a WNBA game, spending her rookie season with the Aces in 2022, where she overlapped with Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase (and won a championship), and the 2023 season with the Dream. Her averages aren’t impressive; across two seasons and 37 games in the W, she has put up 2.7 points and 2.0 rebounds per game.
But, one look over the Atlantic Ocean is enough to provide an explanation for the Valkyries’ move.
Playing for France in this year’s EuroBasket Women competition, Rupert was one of the leaders for the fourth-best team on the continent. (Although, the French shockingly didn’t advance to the final after a narrow loss to Spain in the semi-final.) She averaged 8.7 points and 4.2 rebounds during the tournament, with her two worst games coming in France’s two losses. Playing for France is a big deal for Rupert; she sat out the 2024 WNBA season to properly prepare for the Olympics.
Last season, Rupert played in Turkey for EuroLeague Women Final Four mainstay ÇBK Mersin, averaging 16.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists. She’s used to playing zone defense and can do a lot with the ball in her hands, making her a potentially versatile piece for Nakase and the Valkyries.
So while Talbot will be missed, Rupert should fit right in with her new team.
