The Golden State Valkyries have a roster! Golden State had their WNBA Expansion Draft on Friday, and they selected a number of players with potential.
Introducing your first-ever Golden State Valkyries. This is just the beginning of our journey.
— Golden State Valkyries (@wnbagoldenstate) December 7, 2024
Expansion Draft presented by @CarMax. pic.twitter.com/8WU5mOYGRy
The roster could use a star or two to lead the way, but it presents a quality foundation for the team. Golden State is the only expansion team joining the league in 2025, so they received the opportunity to pick from an intriguing selection of players. Each WNBA team was allowed to protect up to six players, and the Valkyries were able to select one unprotected player from each team.
Some players were expected to not be protected, but a few of the new Valkyries were shockingly available in the draft. Let's take a look at the three biggest losers of the WNBA Expansion Draft.
3. Connecticut Sun
Veronica Burton is a good player. She is only 24 years old and presents the Valkyries with a player who they could make part of their core for the future.
Burton was not necessarily expected to be protected by the Connecticut Sun. Nevertheless, losing her is a brutal blow for the Sun.
Burton spent the first two seasons of her WNBA career with the Dallas Wings before joining the Sun in 2024. She has not received a lot of playing time in the WNBA, but Burton has displayed signs of potential. If given an opportunity, she could become a reliable WNBA player.
2. New York Liberty
Kayla Thornton, 32, was surprisingly not protected by the New York Liberty. She is a veteran who has played in the WNBA since 2015. Thornton spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons in New York, playing an impactful role in the Liberty's WNBA Finals run during the '24 campaign.
She played in all 40 games, starting 11 contests. Thornton averaged 5.5 points and 2.6 rebounds per outing for the Liberty.
It would not be surprising to see Thornton immediately become one of the best players on the Valkyries. She is a forward who can shoot the ball from beyond the arc, so her versatility will prove to be of the utmost importance.
1. Indiana Fever
In one of the biggest surprises of the night, the Indiana Fever did not protect Temi Fagbenle.
The 32-year-old center developed chemistry with Fever star Caitlin Clark in 2024. Although Fagbenle had not played in the WNBA since 2019, she made a big impact throughout the 2024 season.
Fagbenle averaged 6.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per game while playing in 22 games. She is another veteran presence who will certainly help the Valkyries moving forward.