The 2024 WNBA Expansion Draft took place on Friday, December 6th. The Golden State Valkyries were allowed one pick from each of the current 12 WNBA teams to add to their team’s roster. The team made 11 choices from around the league, and will use their two draft picks and free agency signings to fill out the rest of their roster. Here are some highlights from the draft:
Courtesy @valkyries/instagram
KM and KT
The two most high profile picks from the draft came from 2024 Champions, the New York Liberty, and 2023 Champions, the Las Vegas Aces.
Rookie Kate Martin, drafted in the second round of the 2024 WNBA draft by the Aces, was drafted fifth by the Valkyries. Martin will be reunited with Natalie Nakase, former assistant coach for the Aces, who is now the head coach for the Golden State Valkyries. Fans on X noted that it was Nakase who pushed for Martin to be drafted by the Aces in April, and now it seems Nakase has successfully pushed for Martin again as she builds her new team.
Aces star and league MVP A’ja Wilson took to Threads to share her reaction to the pick.
“Yall wanted this expansion sooooooooooo bad NOW LOOK ….MY BABY ROOK GONE……” Wilson posted.
Other members of the Aces, including Sydney Colson and Chelsea Gray took to X to wish Martin luck with her new team.
The Liberty lost forward Kayla Thornton to the Valkyries in the draft. Thornton played two seasons for New York after playing six years for the Dallas Wings and being traded to the Liberty in the 2022 offseason. Thornton shined throughout the Liberty's 2024 playoffs appearance and eventual championship win. One highlight of Thornton’s performance was her 80% FG stat in the Liberty’s win over the Las Vegas Aces in game two of the semifinals. Undrafted coming out of the University of Texas-El Paso, Thornton is the player on the Golden State roster with the most years played in the WNBA. It’s easy to see Thornton’s leadership potential beyond her scoring resume, as Golden State must also consider players that can help bring together a positive team culture.
“It is incredibly difficult to say goodbye to a player like KT who contributed to the New York Liberty in so many ways over these past two years, including our franchise’s first-ever championship,” Liberty GM Jonathan Kolb said in a statement.
“Ruby gonna be pissed,” Liberty star Breanna Stewart tweeted, referencing her four year old daughter. “They got a dawg, we love you KT,” she said.
Golden State Valkyries Forward Kayla Thornton with Breanna Stewart's daughter, Ruby. Courtesy @BRANNDANNART/instagram
International Stars
Seven of the Valkyries’ 11 drafted players are international, including Julie Vanloo from the Mystics, Cecilia Zandalasini from the Lynx, Temi Fagbenle from the Fever, and Steph Talbot from the Sparks.
Fans of the Washington Mystics were sad to see Vanloo go, after playing one season for the team in 2024. Fever fans found themselves surprised that Fagbenle wasn’t on the list of protected players for the team after her solid bench performances throughout the season, including 12 rebounds throughout the Fever’s playoff appearance in 2024. Fagbenle, who was drafted in 2016 by the Minnesota Lynx, joins Thornton as the only two players on the team who have previously won a WNBA championship.
A Lot Going on in Seattle
The Valkyries decided not to select any players from the Seattle Storm, which seems, in theory, like a positive for the Storm. However, with news coming out earlier in the week that star Jewell Loyd requested a trade from the team, and the continued drama surrounding investigations into coaching misconduct, the foregone draft pick could prove to be the opposite of what the team needs. The Valkyries’ lack of a pick from the Storm only continued to perpetuate talk about the issues facing the team, and opened up a new host of questions about why Golden State chose to forgo their pick. Chief among those questions is whether the Valkyries felt like there were no good players to choose from Seattle’s list, or if the decision might be a matter of putting themselves in a better position to grab Loyd in the offseason.
Edited by Emily Tsipis
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