The Golden State Valkyries had their 2024 WNBA Expansion Draft on December 6 and began building their 11-player roster. The WNBA is no longer a 144-player league thanks to the expansion team Golden State. It was an exciting day for the players, coaches and fans. Head Coach Natalie Nakase, a first-time head coach and former assistant for the two-time champions Las Vegas Aces, made history that night. The roster has familiar faces; some are unknown to casual fans because a few are international players.
Here is what General Manager Ohemaa Nyanin had to say about the historic Draft night:
“We are excited to have officially started the journey of building the Golden State Valkyries 2025 team,” said General Manager Ohemaa Nyanin. “Our goal was to construct a roster that embodies both versatility and depth, bringing in a strong mix of leadership, defense and scoring ability. These players were carefully chosen not only for their skills on the court, but also for their ability to fit into the culture we’re working to build here at Golden State.”
Kate Martin, Former Las Vegas Aces:
The former Iowa Hawkeye, drafted by the Aces in the second round as the 18th overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, is one of the most familiar faces on this new roster. Her popularity rose while playing for Vegas, and all of her Vegas teammates embraced her from the beginning, especially the three-time MVP A’ja Wilson. Her teammates named her “Money” due to her shooting abilities. Her shooting skills are one of the reasons Golden State selected her, and one benefit is her former Vegas assistant coach, and now head coach Nakase, knows her game well.
At the beginning of the season, Martin played a significant number of minutes; however, her minutes declined after the All-Star break. Kate averaged 11.5 minutes per game and played 34 games for the season. She averaged 30% from the field and 2.6 points per game. She would have exploded as a shooting machine if she had played more minutes during the rookie season. Being selected by Golden State is the perfect moment for her to shine and showcase her playing skills. Las Vegas will miss her grit and personality, as well as Kate as a teammate.
Other Standouts From the Expansion Draft
Other key players that the Valkyries selected are Kayla Thornton, Monique Billings, Stephanie Talbot, Temi Fagbenle and Veronica Burton.
- Kayla Thornton (New York Liberty): I was surprised that the Liberty did not protect her. Thornton was a key player in the finals for New York. Kayla can play both sides of the court. In game five of the finals, she played 21 minutes and finished with two points, two total rebounds, one steal and one block. Kayla did not have an explosive offensive game but did the little things to help her team win. And that is who Golden State is getting from Thornton.
- Monique Billings (Phoenix Mercury): Billings last played for Phoenix; before that, she played for the Atlanta Dream from 2018 to 2023. Billings played in 37 games in 2024 and averaged 7.4 points per game. She played for Dallas and Phoenix this season. Billings is a forward who can shoot, be a presence on defense and crash the boards.
- Stephanie Talbot (Los Angeles Sparks): Talbot played for the Sparks in the 2024 season. She is known as a 3-point shooter and has played for four teams in the WNBA. Talbot played in 37 games with the Sparks and averaged 3.5 points per game. She also averaged 39.5% from the field, 26% in threes and 69% from the free-throw line.
- Temi Fagbenle (Indiana Fever): Temi played a crucial role in Indiana, crashing the boards and helping Indiana have one of the best seasons. Temi and Caitlin Clark were one of the best duo in the 2024 season. When Clark and Temi played together, the Fever had a great chance of winning games. Temi averaged 6.4 points per game with the Fever, 4.7 total rebounds, shot 50.9% from the field and finished with 78.6% from the free-throw line. Golden State is getting a post player who does the little things.
- Veronica Burton (Dallas Wings): Burton is a guard who can do it all. She played 31 games with the Wings, finished with 3.1 points per game and 1.4 total rebounds and finished with 83.8% from the free-throw line.
Golden State 11-Player Roster
