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On Monday, the WNBA announced its first major award winner, as Golden State Valkyries guard Veronica Burton has officially been named the Most Improved Player of the Year.
After the Valkyries took a chance on Burton in the expansion draft, the 25-year-old guard averaged 11.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 1.1 steals per game, putting together the best season of her four-year career by a mile. In 2024, with the Connecticut Sun, Burton averaged just 3.1 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game, as Golden State truly got the best out of her.
Veronica Burton of the @valkyries is your 2025 WNBA KIA Most Improved Player!
Burton embraced a new opportunity in Golden State, and went from 3.1 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 1.9 APG and 0.5 SPG a szn ago to averaging career-highs of 11.9 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 6.0 APG and 1.1 SPG 👏#KIAMIP | @KIA pic.twitter.com/KQD6bCTpTk
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 15, 2025
Burton still has plenty of room to grow as the franchise point guard in Golden State, but her story to get to this point has been incredible. In 2022, the Dallas Wings drafted Burton seventh overall, but after spending just two years with the franchise, they decided to cut her. Now, she has emerged as one of the most promising guards in the league and is a WNBA award winner.
Of course, the Valkyries have turned into a tight-knit team, especially as they have become the first WNBA expansion team to make the playoffs in their inaugural season, so Burton was flooded with support after winning Most Improved Player of the Year.
A handful of her teammates were the first to send love to Burton for the huge individual accomplishment.
“It’s too liiiitttttt,” Tiffany Hayes commented.
“Thanks for being good at basketball,” Kate Martin said.
“I mean duuuuuh!!!” Monique Billings said. “My PG> yours.”
“You’re such a star,” Kaitlyn Chen replied.
“Yeah V!!!! NO QUESTION ABOUT IT!” Kaila Charles commented.
“Like this if Veronica is soo good at basketball,” Laeticia Amihere said. “Like this if she slays.”
“Hell yeeaahhhh,” Temi Fagbenle replied. “Vs up!”
2025 @WNBA MIP, and her biggest hype crew 🫶@_Theblackqueen_ said it best, like this if @Veronicaab22 is soo good at basketball pic.twitter.com/NbIdhC4g6v
— Golden State Valkyries (@valkyries) September 15, 2025
A few non-Valkyries players chimed in as well.
“So proud. So deserved. You found yours,” Mercury forward Satou Sabally commented.
Former NBA champion Festus Ezeli also showed some love, commenting, “Yes [Veronica Burton].”
“I know thats righttt,” Mercury center Kalani Brown replied.
“Earned,” Liberty guard Natasha Cloud said.
Burton ultimately won the award in a landslide, racking up 68 of the 72 possible votes from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. The next closest finisher was Los Angeles Sparks’ Azura Stevens with just two votes, as Burton was the clear-cut Most Improved Player of the Year in 2025, and is now looking to help Golden State upset the first-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the playoffs.
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