There's no denying it: the Valkyries are defying every expectation that was placed on the team since 2023, when Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob confirmed he was bringing an expansion team to the WNBA. Past expansion teams haven't always performed well, but the Valkyries put together a tough and dynamic roster filled with familiar faces from the league as well as international stars and then, to the surprise of many, they started winning games.
In fact, we might be only one month into the 2025 WNBA season, but if the Valkyries keep this up, the team could find themselves without a lottery pick in next year's draft — and that's not really a bad thing. One could even assume it's all part of Lacob's larger plan, especially since next year's free agency will include the majority of the league.
Joe Lacob wants a championship within 5 years
It's been written on this site before but it's always worth repeating: Lacob has made it clear he wants a championship from the Valkyries within the team's first 5 years. It's also worth noting Lacob isn't someone who gets told no that frequently, and he's done a lot to support the team and achieve that goal. The Valkyries have some of the best facilities in the league, a benefit of coming into the league in 2025 (as opposed to 2008, when the Atlanta Dream joined) and of having an ownership group that respects women's basketball (and has deep pockets).
While many envisioned a 2025 season that included the Valkyries tanking to lottery into one of the top picks in next year's draft, it seems Coach Natalie Nakase didn't get the memo — or she did, and she dutifully ignored it. Instead, Nakase is leading a group of killers, as she affectionately describes them, toward win after win after win.
On top of that, Nakase and the Valkyries have also built a team culture that's fun and, frankly, delightful to behold via social media, the team regularly plays to sold-out home crowds of over 18,000 fans, and its clear they have a lot of fun while doing so.
Golden State might not win a championship this season (never say never), but the team has blown expectations out of the water. It could be that focusing on winning and winning now (again: something else Nakase repeatedly said she planned to do) will pay out ten-fold during free agency next year, when many seasoned vets will looking for teams who will support them across the board — and will provide opportunities for big moments in big games. When you think about it, the Valkyries are really the complete package — and that's likely entirely due to Lacob's design.