Best Sparks vs. Valkyries Player Props for Monday 6/9/25

There is just one game of WNBA action tonight as the Los Angeles Sparks (3-6) host the Golden State Valkyries (3-5) in a California-based battle. This will be the third matchup between these two teams already this season, with the two sides splitting the opening pair of games.

The Sparks enter tonight’s game as 6.5-point favorites and -278 on the moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Valkyries hold +225 odds of pulling off the outright upset, with the game total set at 162.5.

You can check out my full pick and prediction for this matchup here, but this article will look at my top player prop picks for the lone WNBA matchup. Here are my three favorite prop bets for this budding rivalry.

It has been an uneasy start to the season for Rickea Jackson, who has been available for just four of the first nine games this season. The second-year standout suffered a concussion already this season and missed some time due to a personal issue. Across the four games she has played, Jackson is averaging just 7.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. Expect this statistical regression to change as she starts to get her legs underneath her by playing more consistent minutes. Jackson’s level of opportunity has been more limited due to the in-and-out on the lineup, and tonight will mark just the second time she has played back-to-back games.

Looking back at last year’s production, Jackson averaged 13.4 points per game and tallied over 12.5 points in 24 of the 40 games she played. She dropped 13 points in the season-opener against this Valkyries team, which is the only time this season Jackson played more than 26 minutes in a game. The reigning All-Rookie Team member averaged 28.8 minutes per game last season and will see her level of opportunity expand now that she is on the court at a more regular rate.

The Sparks are off to just a 3-6 start to the season, and Jackson’s inconsistent availability has been a key reason for this. Her impact goes beyond just the box score, and expect Los Angeles to rely on the 24-year-old at a greater rate tonight. The Valkyries have struggled defensively all season and are allowing 81.0 points per game, which is tied for the sixth-worst rate in the league. Look for Jackson to tally over 12.5 for the second time against this Golden State team and play a key role in tonight’s game as she gets back to her normal self.

In their first season in the WNBA, the Golden State Valkyries have already established a key identity from beyond the three-point arc. They lead the league in three-point attempts with 32.1 perimeter shots per game despite shooting just 28.8% collectively, the worst rate in the league. Kayla Thornton is a huge part of this effort, leading the team with 6.3 perimeter shots per game.

Thornton has also struggled on these attempts, connecting on just 22.0% of her three-point shots. This is an outlier based on the reigning champion’s career, as she has shot 32.0% on long-range shots throughout her career. Thornton also shot 35.7% from beyond the three-point arc last season. Even with these struggles, she has knocked down two or more three-pointers in three games this season, including shooting 4-for-8 in the previous matchup.

Looking at tonight’s matchup, the Sparks are extremely vulnerable in their defense on the perimeter. They allow 27.3 three-point attempts per game, which is the second-worst rate in the WNBA, and opponents are shooting 34.1% from deep on these attempts. Thornton shot 0-for-6 from beyond the three-point arc in the first matchup between these two teams and 1-for-9 in the second game. She is a better shooter than these numbers, and I am brushing this off as a shooting slump to start the year. Coming off her best perimeter shooting performance of the season and set to continue seeing this type of three-point volume, look for Thornton to begin improving her three-point average and connect with a pair of three-pointers tonight.

The Los Angeles Sparks took a big swing trading for Kelsey Plum in the offseason. She has settled in nicely, ranking third in the WNBA in scoring at 12.6 points per game. This is a career-high rate for the three-time All-Star, and she also ranks second in the WNBA with 3.0 three-point makes per game. She has scored as many as 37 points in a game this season, which occurred against the Valkyries, and has tallied over 20.5 points in four of the nine games.

While Golden State makes it a focus to attack from the three-point arc, they struggle to defend it. The Valkyries allow 26.5 three-point attempts per game, which is the fifth-worst rate. Opponents are shooting 36.8% on these attempts, and the 9.8 three-point makes per game is the second-worst rate in the WNBA. Golden State also ranks fourth in the WNBA in pace, and these additional offensive possessions help clear the path for Plum to reach this number.

With the home crowd behind her and Plum having already torched this defense for 37 points this year, expect a big outing from the Sparks’ star. The former WNBA champion was limited to a season-low 28:33 of game time in the previous victory, which resulted in a comfortable 14-point win. She attempted just nine shots, with this marking the only time Plum has attempted fewer than 14 shots in a game. Expect a clearer focus on scoring in tonight’s budding rivalry, and for Plum to be rested from this previous effort. Count on Plum to capitalize on the vulnerable three-point defense and continue adding to her impressive scoring outputs in the early parts of this season.