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The Golden State Valkyries selected Dallas Wings guard Carla Leite in the Expansion Draft on Friday. Leite, a 20-year-old, 5’9” guard from France, was chosen by Dallas with the ninth pick in the 2024 draft, following guard Jacy Sheldon by four spots.
Leite has not signed a WNBA contract yet and has been playing professionally in the top women’s French league (LFB) since 2022 when she was 18. She averaged 16 points and 5.4 assists per game last year for Tarbes.
There was speculation that Leite would join the WNBA after being drafted in 2024, but she opted to continue playing overseas and is currently with ESB Villenueve-d’Ascq in the Ligue Feminine de Basketball. She has also excelled in international play, earning MVP honors in the FIBA U20 Women’s European Championship in 2023.
Leite is known for her skills in pick-and-roll situations, being strong in both scoring and creating opportunities off screens. Despite concerns about her off-ball shooting and turnovers, she is considered a promising WNBA prospect at just 20 years old. Many expected Dallas to protect her in the expansion draft, making this selection a surprise.
The Valkyries, who also picked former Wings players Veronica Burton from Connecticut and Kayla Thornton from New York, chose a total of 11 players in the expansion draft. They can now focus on free agency and trades as they work towards finalizing their debut roster.
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