burton.jpg
Getty Images

Back in March, months before the season began, the Golden State Valkyries became the first team in WNBA history to sell 10,000 season tickets. That was the first clear sign that the first expansion team to enter the league since 2008 had something special brewing. 

Over the next six months, the Valkyries set the standard for the coming wave of expansion with an incredible debut campaign, both on and off the court. They went 23-21 to earn the No. 8 seed in the playoffs, had the Coach of the Year and the Most Improved Player and sold out every single home game at Chase Center, a.k.a Ballhalla. 

The Valkyries' 23 wins were the most ever by an expansion team in its inaugural season, and they became the first expansion team to make the playoffs in its inaugural season. 

How the Valkyries created an unmatched WNBA home-court advantage and why expectations are high in 'Ballhalla'
Jack Maloney
How the Valkyries created an unmatched WNBA home-court advantage and why expectations are high in 'Ballhalla'

Natalie Nakase, the first coach in franchise history, built an elite defense and made the Valkyries one of the most difficult teams to play against in the league despite a lack of starpower. For her efforts, she was named COY. Veronica Burton, who arrived from the Connecticut Sun in the expansion draft, took on the starting point guard role and put together a career year that not only garnered the MIP trophy, but may earn her an All-WNBA and/or All-Defensive honor. 

Ballhalla, meanwhile, became one of the team's greatest strengths. The Valkyries went 14-8 at home, compared to 9-13 on the road, and sold out every single game. Their average attendance of 18,064 and total attendance of 397,408 were both all-time records. 

Though the Valkyries bowed out of the playoffs in the first round after being swept by the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx, they did so with their heads held high. 

"So proud. That's the first thing I said," Nakase said after the Valkyries' devastating season-ending loss in Game 2. "No. 1, I said, 'Get your f-----g heads up'. I said, 'Get your heads up.' They were down. I said, 'I want everyone's eye contact. I want to feel every person right now. And I want your emotions, I want your heart, I want everything.' Everyone looked up and I just told them how proud I was. To have that place rocking tonight, to have that Ballhalla mentality, to be able to go toe-and-toe to the No. 1 team, I was so proud."

After a special inaugural season, the Valkyries are well positioned to take a leap in 2026, but like every other team will have to first navigate a complex offseason. 

Season at a glance

  • Record: 23-21 (No. 8 seed)
  • Offensive rating: 101.5 (10th)
  • Defensive rating: 99.8 (3rd)
  • Net rating: plus-1.7 (8th)

Biggest strength

Defense

The Valkyries were an absolute nightmare to play against all season long. They were physical, relentless and forced teams into inefficient looks. Notably, they allowed just 12.1 attempts per game in the restricted area, which was by far the fewest this season. In fact, only the 2018 Las Vegas Aces (10.6) have ever allowed fewer over the course of a season. Overall, the Valkyries finished third in defensive rating (99.8) and first in field goal defense (40.5%). 

Biggest weakness

Shooting

Nakase made it clear prior to the season that she wanted to run a modern offense predicated on getting up a lot of 3-pointers. She was not lying. The Valkyries 29.9 attempts per game and 1,314 total attempts not only led the league, but were single-season records. Unfortunately for the Valkyries, they didn't make many of them. Their 32.5% clip ranked 11th out of 13 teams. If the Valkyries want to continue playing like this, they need players who can actually knock down shots on a regular basis. 

Key free agents

Every team is going to have more free agents than usual this offseason. There are only two players -- Kalani Brown and Lexie Brown -- in the entire league not on a rookie scale deals who are under contract for 2026. Every other veteran set up their contract to expire after the 2025 season with an eye on a big pay raise once the new collective bargaining agreement takes effect. 

But even by this season's unique standards, the Valkyries have a lot of moving parts. Because they selected their inaugural roster via an expansion draft last December and didn't have multiple years of their own draft picks, they only have two players under contract for 2026: Carla Leite and Kate Martin, and neither of them have guaranteed deals. They also control the rights to 2025 first-round pick Justė Jocytė, who did not come over to the WNBA this season. 

Multiple players acknowledged during their exit interviews that it's unlikely the Valkyries will have the same team next season. 

"We don't know who's going to stay, who's going to go. We have no idea," Cecilia Zandalasini said. "We would love to stay on the same team because we enjoy each other. We had a great, great time this summer, so that would be our dream, probably. But it's business, it's the W, and it has to grow and expand. It worked out well for this team, so we will see."

The Valkyries will surely want to bring back a number of players from this season's team. Retaining Burton, in particular, stands out as a priority. Thanks to their initial success, rabid fanbase and highly-respected coaching staff and front office, the Valkyries could also be in the mix for some big-name free agents this winter. 

But until the new CBA is in place and we know the rules for free agency, as well as key numbers such as the 2026 salary cap and the new maximum, minimum and rookie salaries, it's too difficult to predict the Valkyries' plans with any sort of specificity. 

Draft outlook

  • Nos. 8, 23 and 38 overall

The Valkyries own all of their own picks in the 2026 draft, but No. 8 overall is by far the most important. Historically, late second- and third-round picks rarely make rosters, let alone develop into rotation players.

A unique free agency period and a double expansion draft makes it difficult to know what the Valkyries' biggest needs may be come draft time, but we do have an idea of the players who could be available at No. 8 and would fit Nakase's style. 

  • Gianna Kneepkens -- F, UCLA

The Valkyries want to shoot a lot of 3s, and few players do that better than Kneepkens, who transferred to UCLA for her fifth and final collegiate season. During her four seasons at Utah, she went 248 of 574 (43.2%) from behind the arc. Last season was particularly impressive as she shot 44.8% on a career-high 6.8 attempts per game. 

  • Yarden Garzon -- F, Maryland

Garzon, who transferred from Indiana to Maryland this summer, is another elite shooter from behind the arc. During her three seasons with the Hoosiers, she made 220 of 516 (42.6%) of her 3-point attempts. Standing 6-foot-3, Garzon also has excellent size on the wing and can play multiple positions.