Valkyries owner Joe Lacob is best known for owning the NBA’s Golden State Warriors. Before entering the NBA business, Lacob was involved with another professional basketball league, though: the American Basketball League. The ABL, a short-lived women’s basketball league that competed with the WNBA during its early years, ran from 1996 to 1998. Lacob purchased equity in the ABL and the team operating rights of the San Jose Lasers, investing in women’s basketball long before getting involved with the Golden State Valkyries.
Bay Area women’s basketball has always been powerful.
— Golden State Valkyries (@valkyries) July 14, 2025
Tonight, we celebrate those who laid the foundation — as we carry their legacy into the future ✨🪽 pic.twitter.com/o7CKQQLyhn
The Lasers played their home games at the San Jose State Event Center Arena and San Jose Arena, which is now known as the SAP Center. Normally, the SAP Center is home to the NHL’s San Jose Sharks and the IFL’s Bay Area Panthers. In September, it will also be a short-term home for the Golden State Valkyries.
The Valkyries clinched a playoff spot with a hard-fought win over the Dallas Wings, but due to a scheduling conflict, they won’t be able to host any first-round games at Chase Center. So, the Valkyries will play at SAP Center, the home of Lacob’s first professional women’s basketball team.
The Lasers went to the ABL playoffs
While the Lasers finished both of their full seasons in the ABL (the league folded halfway through the third season) with losing records, they still managed to sneak into the playoffs, losing to the Columbus Quest both times.
In the first season, Sheri Sam, Val Whiting-Raymond, and Trisha Stafford-Odom were the team’s three top scorers. Sam continued to be a major factor in the second season, and Jennifer Azzi and Charlotte Smith burst onto the scene as well. All five players went on to play in the WNBA after the ABL folded. Azzi played five seasons, averaging 9.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists for her career. Smith also played eight WNBA seasons, averaging 6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game.
Sam found the most success in her WNBA career. She played 10 seasons, averaged 10.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.3 steals for her career, and was named an All-Star in 2002.
The Valkyries are here to stay
Unlike the Lasers, the Valkyries tipped off their inaugural season in a time when women’s basketball is experiencing an unprecedented boom. The WNBA continues to set attendance and viewership records, as its popularity continues to rise. That increased popularity is also reflected in the expansion teams that will follow the Valkyries—both the number of teams and the money people spent to acquire them.
While there was excitement around women’s basketball stars after the 1996 Olympics, the ABL lacked the same platform, investments, and opportunities the WNBA has now, which led to the Lasers’ short-lived existence.
The Valkyries are here to stay, and, if their one-of-a-kind first season is any indication, they will find a lot of success in the future.