Monday was a big day for the Golden State Valkyries. They got to make their first-ever draft selection. With the fifth overall pick, the Valkyries were reportedly not looking for the face of the franchise quite yet but rather wanted to focus on building an identity and finding young talent.
There were plenty of options for that in the 2025 WNBA Draft. Most fans seemingly expected that the Valkyries would select a well-known college player such as Aneesah Morrow or Hailey Van Lith—and for good reason. Drafting a popular player to a big market would be a quick way to establish a significant fanbase and draw attention to the games.
The Valkyries had different, rather unexpected, plans, however. Instead of drafting a player out of college, they selected Lithuanian guard Juste Jocyte.
Juste Jocyte brings experience and offensive talent to the Valkyries
Despite being only 19 years old, Juste Jocyte already has plenty of experience as a professional basketball player. She played her first game as a professional when she was 14 years old and has already played for the Lithuanian national team as well. During her time in Europe, Jocyte has gone up against WNBA-level talent and established herself as a talented scorer. Particularly her jump shot, pick-and-roll game, and drives are impressive.
While surprising, the pick makes sense for the Valkyries. Considering the roster, the Valkyries will likely want to play a fast-paced offense with lots of shooting. Jocyte could be a key piece in establishing that identity right away while also providing great size at the guard spot and giving the Valkyries a young talent to develop.
Jocyte may not become the face of the franchise—the Valkyries still have time to find that with a lottery pick in future drafts—but the youngster should be ready to contribute right now and fit into the offensive style the Valkyries want to play.
Head coach Natalie Nakase has been adamant that the Valkyries have a unique opportunity to establish themselves as a competitive team quickly, so it makes sense that the team would go for a rookie who already has experience playing professionally.
Jocyte is not the only player who fits that description, either. Janelle Salaün and Carla Leite will also play their first WNBA seasons this year, and both have experience playing in Europe. Technically, drafting Jocyte is very much in line with how the Valkyries have approached building their team so far—relying on international talent and youngsters with experience. Nevertheless, it was rather surprising to see the Valkyries go with Jocyte as their first-ever draft pick.