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2025 has been a season to remember for the Golden State Valkyries.
It may have ended sooner than they would have liked after their elimination at the hands of the Minnesota Lynx in a nail-biting 75-74 loss in Game 2 on Sep. 17, but the Valkyries built something that the WNBA had never seen before.
Coming into the season, no one could have expected what the Valkyries would become. Expectations for Expansion teams in their debut season have historically been low, and the Valkyries were no exception. ESPN projected them at a last-place finish and an over/under of 11.5 wins before the regular season began, something the Valkyries blew that out of the water.
Valkyries’ Kate Martin on the memories she’ll keep from this season:
“I always say when you’re old and looking back on this season, you’re not going to remember all the bad games you had… You’re going to remember the little moments with your teammates in the locker room.” pic.twitter.com/iynFEZwqis
— Kenzo Fukuda (@kenzofuku) September 18, 2025
A 23-21 record, eighth seed in the playoffs and sold-out crowds night after night became the highlights of their season. Golden State has set the new standard for what an Expansion franchise in the ever-growing WNBA can be and they have become the new standard that every new team that follows them will be measured against.
For the players that made up this historic first roster, those memories will not be forgotten, even if the season ended in heartbreak against the league’s most dominant team.
Congrats to the @valkyries on an incredible first season in the W ⚔️💜
Records were broken and milestones set — we’re proud to have you in the family! pic.twitter.com/C5OeA7ePwT
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 18, 2025
“Since this was the inaugural season and there were so many special moments, I’ll remember the crowd: how loud it got our first game of the season,” Valkyries guard Kate Martin said (via Kenzo Fukuda of Clutch Points).
“All those fun, special moments we got to celebrate and experience together and all the history made, because this is not just some regular season. There was a lot of really cool things that were done this year.”
Sports teams build a bond that is like no other and that effect is magnified at the professional level, like so many other aspects of the game. Weeks and months spent traveling together, training together and living together unite a group.
For a team in the Valkyries situation, where everything was a first and no one had experience playing in the Bay before, they built the beginnings of a legacy together.
“I always say when you’re old and looking back on the season… you’re not really going to remember all your bad games, you’re not going to remember how many points you scored,” Martin said. “You’re going to remember the little moments with your teammates in the locker rooms on away trips, team dinners, hanging out… I’ll cherish that. I’ll cherish my friendships and my teammates.”
