SAN FRANCISCO — When general manager Ohemaa Nyanin and her team at Golden State Valkyries finalized their decisions for the WNBA expansion draft, their first challenge was delivering the news to each player before they heard it elsewhere.
This involved coordinating practice times, game schedules, time zones, and potential sleep times. The effort paid off as the roster started to take shape on Friday night.
Nyanin views this as a historic moment, as they are about to be part of something built from scratch.
She expressed her desire for the players to be happy and recognize the opportunity to be a part of history with the Golden State Valkyries.
The Valkyries chose center Iliana Rupert from Atlanta, guards Veronica Burton from Connecticut and Carla Leite from Dallas, and forward Maria Conde from Chicago as their initial picks.
To complete their 11-woman roster, Golden State added players like Indiana center Temi Fagbenle and Las Vegas guard Kate Martin. The team did not select a player from Seattle.
Players like Thornton and Martin are excited about the opportunity to be a part of this new team and witness its growth and development.
Nyanin described the process of forming a new team as “complex” but was thrilled with the end result.
The team is looking forward to being active in free agency when it opens in February, aiming to further strengthen the roster.
Extensive scouting and discussions were conducted to ensure each player would fit well into the new system.
Coach Natalie Nakase expressed excitement about the selected players and the team’s culture.
This marked the WNBA’s first expansion draft in 16 years, with the Valkyries being able to acquire players from all other WNBA teams.
The team will play at Chase Center, home of the Golden State Warriors, and practice in Oakland.
Excitement is high in San Francisco as the new team prepares for its inaugural season.
Nyanin shared that the initial calls to the players yielded positive and exciting reactions.
— Janie McCauley | AP Sports Writer
