The Golden State Valkyries are moving closer to their inaugural season.
After revealing their branding in May and hiring Natalie Nakase as head coach in October, the next order of business is building out a roster, which begins with an expansion draft on Friday, Dec. 6.
In the Golden State Valkyries Expansion Draft, the franchise will select from a designated pool of unprotected players from each of the current 12 WNBA teams. Golden State can select one available player from each WNBA team before taking part in free agency and the WNBA Draft.
Current WNBA teams could protect six members of their roster from the expansion draft. The WNBA does not reveal the list of protected players, so the player pool the Valkyries will select from is unknown.
Knowing that the complete pool of players will not be revealed, The Sporting News has put together a Valkyries Mock Expansion Draft based on reporting and some deductive reasoning around players who will be eligible to be selected.
With that in mind, onto the picks…
MORE: Where Paige Bueckers, other stars land in the first 2025 WNBA Mock Draft
WNBA Mock Expansion Draft 2024
For this exercise, I built a roster of 10 players for the Valkyries to afford the franchise some flexibility as they approach free agency and the WNBA Draft. In my first 2025 WNBA Mock Draft, I have the Valkyries selecting UConn star guard Azzi Fudd fifth overall.
Expansion drafts are special in that they are typically complete with “diamonds in the rough,” or a selection of players who could thrive with a bigger opportunity. The following list contains several players who fit that bill.
Picks are listed in alphabetical order of the WNBA team they last played for.
Haley Jones, Atlanta Dream
Age, Experience: 23, 2 years
Position: Forward/Guard
Height: 6-1
2024 stats: 3.1 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 1.9 APG
Jones is a Bay Area native who won an NCAA title at Stanford before she was selected sixth overall in the 2023 WNBA Draft. She started in 24 of 40 games last season for Atlanta but the Dream may be comfortable making her available. She’d have an opportunity to step into a larger role for her hometown team.
Veronica Burton, Connecticut Sun
Age, Experience: 24, 3 years
Position: Guard
Height: 5-9
2024 stats: 2.7 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 2.0 APG
Burton’s season averages may not jump off the page but she stepped up when Connecticut needed her to during the postseason. She’s a heady guard and strong point-of-attack defender who could benefit from a larger role with an upstart franchise.
Kalani Brown, Dallas Wings
Age, Experience: 27, 5 years
Position: Center
Height: 6-7
2024 stats: 5.7 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.1 APG
The Wings frontcourt is pretty crowded, so Brown saw just 13.2 minutes per game last season. She almost always produces when given an opportunity. In the 12 games Brown saw over 15 minutes of action, she averaged 10.7 points and 6.2 rebounds and 1.0 blocks. She could thrive in a bigger role with Golden State.
Damiris Dantas, Indiana Fever
Age, Experience: 32, 9 years
Position: Forward
Height: 6-3
2024 stats: 4.5 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 0.6 APG
Dantas brings much-needed experience as a veteran headed into her 10th WNBA season. It was low volume, but she grew into a valuable role with the Fever as a stretch forward, sinking 15 of 38 (39.5 percent) 3-point attempts during the regular season and playoffs.
MORE: Sue Bird credits Caitlin Clark’s ‘logo 3s’ for WNBA’s breakthrough
Megan Gustafson, Las Vegas Aces
Age, Experience: 27, 6 years
Position: Center
Height: 6-4
2024 stats: 3.7 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 0.2 APG
Gustafson had some moments throughout the regular season but saw her role diminish during Las Vegas’ playoff run. Given the familiarity gained from Nakase’s time in Las Vegas, it feels inevitable for Golden State to take one of the Aces’ available players.
Lexie Brown, Los Angeles Sparks
Age, Experience: 30, 7 years
Position: Guard
Height: 5-9
2024 stats: 8.1 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 3.3 APG
Brown is the definition of a fighter. She returned to the floor in 2024 after a public battle with Crohn’s Disease cut her 2023 season short. She posted solid numbers through 16 games before her season was again cut short.
Brown is a consummate professional with high-level skills and can be a culture builder for an expansion squad.
Alissa Pili, Minnesota Lynx
Age, Experience: 23, 1 year
Position: Forward
Height: 6-2
2024 stats: 2.4 PPG, 1.2 RPG, 0.2 APG
After a historic college career, Pili went eighth overall to Minnesota in last year’s draft. She was undoubtedly the best pick available but the Lynx could not find room for her in their talented rotation.
This is the type of big swing that could accelerate Golden State’s progress as an upstart. Despite questions about her game translating to the WNBA, Pili has star potential that she could live up to in the right situation.
Kayla Thornton, New York Liberty
Age, Years: 32, 9 years
Position: Forward
Height: 6-1
2024 stats: 5.5 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 0.7 APG
Every team needs a player capable of doing a little bit of everything. Thornton could be that player for the Valkyries.
Another veteran with plenty of experience in the W, Thornton stepped up when her number was called for the Liberty and brings a pinch of championship DNA.
MORE: How the Liberty broke through to end historic title drought
Charisma Osborne, Phoenix Mercury
Age, Years: 23, 1 year
Position: Guard
Height: 5-9
2024 stats: 1.0 PPG, 0.5 RPG, 0.5 APG
Last year was essentially a redshirt year for Osborne. She battled injuries and was limited to just two games but built quite a reputation as a defensive-minded guard during her time at UCLA.
A talented player who is essentially re-doing their rookie year feels like the perfect archetype for an expansion club.
Julie Vanloo, Washington Mystics
Age, Years: 31, 1 year
Position: Guard
Height: 5-8
2024 stats: 7.4 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 4.3 APG
She was a WNBA rookie last season but Vanloo brings decades of professional experience with her. With teams most likely protecting their best scorers, Golden State will need a player who can create for others. Vanloo was one of just 14 players to dish out six or more assists at least 10 times during the 2024 season.
MORE: Teams, rosters, rules, contracts and more about Unrivaled league
How does the WNBA Expansion Draft work?
The 12 current WNBA teams can protect up to six players from being selected in the expansion draft.
Golden State can select one non-protected player from each team but is not required to select a player from each team. The Valkyries can agree to select a player from one team and trade them to another. The franchise also has the option to draft a player from one team and trade them for cap space.
The pool of non-protected players can include 2024 unrestricted free agents. Golden State can only select one 2024 unrestricted free agent. It cannot select any player under core designation from a team. Core players are not counted towards the six players that a team can protect.
Here is more on the process from the Valkyries:
ICYMI: it’s Expansion Draft Week – and we’ve got all the information you’ll need to follow along.
Watch to see how the @WNBA Expansion Draft will work and be sure to tune in this Friday, December 6th at 3:30 pm PST on @ESPN.@CarMax | Expansion Draft pic.twitter.com/WQWzlSuZh0
,fit(1200,675),quality(65)&w=350&resize=350,250&ssl=1 "Indiana Fever V. Brazil Game Is The Most In-Demand Caitlin Clark Event Yet")
,fit(1200,675),quality(65)&w=120&resize=120,86&ssl=1 "Indiana Fever V. Brazil Game Is The Most In-Demand Caitlin Clark Event Yet")
