This column is the second installment of SB Nation’s new “WNBA Explained” series, a new weekly column diving deep into different topics related to women’s basketball. You can read the previous installment “History says winning the draft lottery is a really, really big deal” here.
The Golden State Valkyries have a state-of-the-art practice facility and a well-regarded head coach in Natalie Nakase. They have a logo, a uniform, and a home arena that can sit 18,000 people.
But, they don’t currently have any players.
That will change very soon, as the WNBA’s Bay Area-based expansion team will select its players on Friday at 6:30 pm ET, on ESPN.
Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming draft.
How will the Valkyries expansion draft work?
The Valkyries will draft their roster from a pool of more than 80 players that WNBA teams left unprotected. Teams were required to submit their list of six protected players by November 25th, and all other players are subject to be selected — including players who teams have future rights to but aren’t active members of the roster.
Your guide to the Expansion Draft has officially arrived — rules, protected players, and more. Tap through for everything you need to know.@CarMax | Expansion Draft pic.twitter.com/lDTvNobNDP
— Golden State Valkyries (@wnbagoldenstate) December 3, 2024
The Valkyries can choose one player from each of the league’s 12 teams. They can also make trades in advance of the draft itself.
How common have expansion drafts been throughout the league’s history?
Five expansion drafts took place in the league’s first 11 years as new teams joined on a regular basis. But, there hasn’t been a draft since 2008, so it’s the first time in a long time that teams have had to go through the process of protecting players and risk losing key pieces to a new team.
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