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The Golden State Valkyries have fought against the odds all season, and beaten them.
Expectations for an Expansion team in their first season have not historically been high, and despite that, Golden State has changed the game for what a new team can be. They added a new note to their historic first season in their last game against the Dallas Wings, where they clinched a trip to the playoffs following an 84-80 victory.
There is no one formula that explains why the Valkyries have been so successful in 2025. They have a talented team, to be sure. They have one All-Star in forward Kayla Thornton, whom the team lost in July following a season-ending knee surgery.
They also have a mix of blossoming young talent in the form of guards Carla Leite and Kate Martin, as well as steady veterans such as guards Tiffany Hayes and Veronica Burton. Burton, in particular, has exploded onto the WNBA radar in recent months and emerged as a frontrunner for Most Improved Player and a steady head coach at the helm in the form of Natalie Nakase, who has made a strong case for herself as Coach of the Year in light of the Valkyries’ success.
The Valkyries have distinguished themselves as a gritty team that doesn’t give up a fight. They proved as much in their win over the Wings after coming from behind at the half and battling down to the last seconds to come home with the win.
Their reputation has made its way around the league as well. If you ask Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve about the Valkyries, she’ll say the same thing.
“When you combine a level of compete, play-hard, with talent and buy-in, that’s the most dangerous thing you can get,” Reeve said (via Kenzo Fukuda of Clutch Points).
Asked Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve what makes the Valkyries dangerous from an opposing coach perspective:
“When you combine a level of compete with talent and buy-in, that’s the most dangerous thing you can get.” pic.twitter.com/U6ypj6FqdQ
— Kenzo Fukuda (@kenzofuku) September 6, 2025
The Lynx are the top team in the WNBA, so Reeve knows what the power of talent and competition can be.
“Buy-in” is an apt way to describe Nakase’s Valkyries. Nakase has repeatedly said that Golden State is a new team, not an Expansion team, just one example of the mentality Nakase has instilled in her team. Despite the odds stacked against them and the adversity they’ve faced with a litany of injuries, the Valkyries have continued to fight forward.
As the playoff picture came into view, the season became about not just improving as a squad and finding their footing in Year One; it became about fighting for a championship. Nakase made sure her team was aware of that, emphasizing visualization and laying out a plan for the remaining schedule to determine exactly what needed to be done to move forward.
As Reeve said, the Valkyries are dangerous because they combine talent with a fighting spirit. As the playoffs approach, both their talent and their spirit will be put to the test as Golden State strives to impress even more.
