With a 9-7 record, the Golden State Valkyries are currently sixth in the regular-season standings, a playoff spot firmly in their grasp. The Fever have a 9-8 record and hold the playoff spot right below the Valkyries. The Aces round out the playoff picture with an 8-9 record, and the Washington Mystics are close behind with an 8-10 record. In the next few weeks, there will be a lot of movement at the bottom of the playoff standings.
It is very impressive that the Valkyries are in the playoff mix in their inaugural season. They are widely exceeding expectations despite not having a big-time star on the roster. Players like Veronica Burton and Kayla Thornton have stepped up in major ways, but the Valkyries are winning by doing everything by committee. Even when four of their top players went to EuroBasket, the Valkyries didn’t slow down. They even beat the Fever and were close to beating the Liberty.
Now, they will get just the right player to cement their standing as a playoff team and maybe even extend their advantage over the Fever, Aces, Mystics, and any other team hoping to make the playoffs. Iliana Rupert will join the Valkyries around July 15 according to the French outlet BeBasket. She will join later than the other EuroBakset returnees because of personal engagements. With her on the team, the Valkyries will be even more impressive and a serious threat in the playoff race.
Adding Iliana Rupert to the roster could give the Valkyries an advantage in the playoff race
The Valkyries already have a strong roster. Nevertheless, their spot in the standings is partly a result of surprising upsets and the fact that the Fever and Aces are underperforming. Rupert could change that narrative and make the Valkyries a legitimate playoff team.
Rupert spent the 2024-25 season playing for CBK Mersin in Turkey. She averaged 16.2 points, shooting 56.1 percent on two-point shots and 45.9 percent from three, 8.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.5 steals in the Turkish league. Over 13 EuroLeague games, she averaged 14.3 points on efficient shooting, 7.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.3 steals. She has also been big for France during EuroBasket.
Rupert is a true stretch-five, who can put up big numbers and defend well. The Valkyries don’t have someone with her skillset yet. Temi Fagbenle has been great as the Valkyries’ starting center but only converted 22.7 percent of her threes before leaving for EuroBasket. Chloe Bibby, who signed with the Valkyries’ in Fagbenle’s absence and showed the ability to reliably space the floor has been waived.
Rupert is a dynamic big, who can space the floor, handle the ball some, and use her size to her advantage. Her unique skill set would give the Valkyries another go-to scorer next to Janelle Salaün, Tiffany Haynes, Veronica Burton, and Kayla Thornton, and it looks like it would fit perfectly with the Valkyries’ style of play.
At 6’5”, Rupert would also add some much-needed size to the Valkyries’ roster. Monique Billings and Temi Fagbenle are the tallest players on the roster, measuring 6’4”. That makes the Valkyries a rather small team in the frontcourt and players like Jonquel Jones have given Golden State trouble.