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#ShrinkTheGame: 13 Days of WNBA
Day 5: Golden State Valkyries
Fred S
May 08, 2025
With just 13 days remaining until the official start of the WNBA season, I’ll be counting down with a daily mini preview of each of the league’s 13 teams. Stay tuned as we break down what to watch, who to watch, and what to expect from every squad.
Table of Contents
Training Camp and Preseason Reminder
Teams are inviting a ton of players to training camp to battle it out for roster spots. Each team can bring in up to 18 players, so expect to see a lot of additions over the next few days.
To stay updated on who’s in and out of camp, check out Across the Timeline and the WNBA Transaction page.
YAY AREAAAAAAAAAA
The WNBA's first expansion team since the Atlanta Dream in 2008 has finally arrived. The Golden State Valkyries, sister team to the Golden State Warriors, played their inaugural preseason game on May 6th. With 17,428 fans in attendance, the Valks lost by just one point to the Los Angeles Sparks—a scrappy debut that showed this team is going to be fun to watch, especially with players like Laeticia Amihere already making waves.
What’s really interesting, though, is how this team is being built and the culture they’re trying to create. From the jump, it’s clear they’re prioritizing international talent and development over giving recent college grads a shot. That’s not entirely surprising considering their GM, Ohemaa Nyanin, is a protégé of Jonathan Kolb (New York Liberty), who’s known for the “draft-and-stash” strategy, drafting international players and letting them develop overseas before bringing them stateside (see: Leonie Fiebich).
This has sparked some heated conversations among fans, some of which teeter dangerously close to xenophobia. However, it’s understandable why some WNBA fans are frustrated. When expansion teams were announced, many hoped for more roster spots for homegrown talent—players they watched dominate in college and are eager to root for on the pro stage. I’m opting to give the benefit of the doubt, and I’m going to watch and see what Nat & Co are cooking up.
Now, will the Valks be a top-tier team this year? Who knows. But what’s clear is they already have the full support of the Bay Area, and that kind of energy bodes well for the growth of the WNBA.
Expect for these f*cking expansion drafts. Kayla Thornton should be in Brooklyn running it back for ring #2. Instead, she’s back on a booty team. Still, she seems to be embracing her role as a vet and leader, and I hope she gets to show off her full skill set. That is, if Tiff Hayes decides to pass the damn ball.
What to Look Out For:
Coach Natalie Nakase: After spending the last three years on Becky Hammon’s coaching staff, Natalie Nakase is stepping into the spotlight as the WNBA’s first Asian-American head coach. While her appointment is historic, it's not without controversy. Nakase recently made headlines for waiving draft pick Shyanne Sellers before she had a chance to appear in the team’s preseason game, citing “fit” as the reason. The decision sparked backlash among fans who saw it as a slight to promising young American talent. Now, all eyes are on Nakase to not just rack up wins, but to establish a team culture that strikes a meaningful balance between American and international players.
Laeticia Amihere: After being drafted in 2023, Laeticia Amihere’s time in Atlanta was frustrating, to say the least. Despite her potential, she was largely benched by head coach Tanisha Wright, with little public explanation. But Amihere didn’t let the setbacks stop her. She continued developing her game, showing out with the Canadian National Team at the Olympics and averaging 6.9 points on 58% shooting, plus 4.6 rebounds per game in Australia’s WNBL. Now with the Valkyries, she finally has the opportunity—and the system—to thrive. Don’t be surprised if she makes a serious run for Most Improved Player this season.
Kate Martin famously got drafted by the Aces while supporting her former teammate and close friend, Caitlin Clark, at the 2024 Draft. She went on to become a fan favorite and impressed many with her play when Becky gave her minutes. She was picked by the Valks in the expansion draft (no surprise, since Natalie was a former assistant coach in Vegas), and with her came a wave of fans. The question is: can she elevate her game enough to become the true face of a franchise? Even though I was impressed with her Unrivaled performance, I think her ceiling is more in line with an Alysha Clark—a really effective role player. Maybe she’ll prove me wrong.
Question Marks
Is Kate Martin ready to be the face of a franchise?
What is the identity of this team?
Who becomes the star on a team of role players?
Defense? Where is it? Who’s bringing it?
Will their players even be able to get visas?
CAP SPACE: $621,506
Free Agency and Roster Updates
Signed | Training Camp Contract | TC | WNBA Draft Picks |
|---|---|---|---|
Monique Billings, a free agent selected in the expansion draft, officially signed a one-year deal. | Veronica Burton (expansion draft pick) | Round 1: #5 Justė Jocytė (Lithuania), | |
Laeticia Amihere has been claimed off waivers | Julie Vanloo (expansion draft pick) | Round 2: #17 Shyanne Sellers (University of Maryland) CUT | |
Kyara Linskens - rookie scale contract | Janelle Salaün- French player | Round 3: #30 Kaitlyn Chen (UCONN) | |
Cecilia Zanfalasini, 100K | Mamignan Touré |
The Coaches + Front Of House Staff
Nakase spent the last three years (2022-2024) as first assistant coach with the Aces, where she played a critical role guiding the team to back-to-back WNBA Championships (2022, 2023). During her tenure, Las Vegas topped the WNBA’s defensive rating charts in 2023, with a rating of 97.7. She assisted with in-game adjustments, substitution rotations, end of game decisions, time out strategies, head coach’s challenge usages, clock management and organizing the team on both ends of the court. Nakase also served as the Aces top scout for college and international athletes. With Nakase on the sideline, the Aces went 87-29 over the last three seasons, including a 19-6 mark in the playoffs.
Nyanin joins WNBA Golden State from the New York Liberty, where she spent over five years in a variety of capacities, most recently as the team’s assistant general manager. As assistant general manager, Nyanin served as the primary liaison between the basketball and business operations teams, assisting with free agency, trade, salary cap management, and extension of the roster. Her previous roles with the Liberty include director of basketball operations (2020-22) and manager of basketball operations (2019-20). During her five seasons with the Liberty, the team notched three WNBA Playoffs appearances, including a trip to the 2023 WNBA Finals as the second-overall seed.
Powell joins the Valkyries after serving as the player development coach for the Miami Heat in 2024. He began his coaching career in 2016 as an assistant coach with the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA G League before being promoted to Head Coach in 2021. Under his three season stint as head coach, the Skyforce recorded the most call-ups in the G League. His 10-year playing career began during the 2007-08 season with the Skyforce, where he was named the then-D-League MVP and appeared in 11 games for the Heat that same season. His professional playing experience included international stops in Bosnia, China, Greece, Hungary, Israel, and Russia. Powell played collegiately at Texas Tech under Hall of Fame Head Coach Bob Knight.
Rodgers most recently served as assistant coach at William & Mary for three seasons, guiding the Tribe to their first-ever CAA Tournament title and NCAA Tournament berth in 2025. She began her coaching career with the Las Vegas Aces ahead of the 2021 season before joining her alma mater Georgetown University for the 2021-22 campaign. Prior to coaching, she played eight WNBA seasons after being selected in the second round by the Minnesota Lynx in the 2013 WNBA Draft. During her playing career, she won a championship with the Lynx in her rookie year and earned both an All-Star selection and the Sixth Woman of the Year award in 2017. Rodgers' professional success followed an outstanding collegiate career at Georgetown, where she remains the Hoyas' all-time leader in career points (2,518) and made three-pointers (346).
Tatum comes to the Bay Area from the Maine Celtics of the NBA G League where he served as an assistant coach this past season. In 2023, he was the Summer League Head Coach for the Washington Wizards before serving as the Wizards director of player development for the 2023-24 season. As a player, Tatum led South Plains College to a 2008 NJCAA National Championship and went on to play for the University of Idaho where he averaged 6.6 points and 3.9 assists per game in two seasons with the Vandals. He played professionally in Germany before returning to his alma mater in 2014 as the Director of Men’s Basketball Operations, and then joining the Wizards organization in 2015.
Hoops & Hype: Media Picks
Check out some of the cool podcasts, videos, reads, and fashion I saw this week.
@wnba Laeticia Amihere went off in her first preseason game as a Valkyrie ⬇️ 20 PTS 2 REB 7-11 FG 2-4 3PT #WelcometotheW
