Valkyries general manager Ohemaa Nyanin was finally able to relax Friday, at least for the night.
After months of preparation, Golden State, the WNBA's 13th franchise, has completed the league's first expansion draft since 2008, selecting 11 players from the current 12 teams to be part of the initial 2025 roster. was nominated.
Certainly, it's a starting point.
But there is much work to be done.
Kayla Thornton, Kate Martin and Stephanie Talbot are the only players the Valkyries have named with contracts through at least next season.
This gives Golden State plenty of flexibility to move on to the next stage of roster construction: free agency.
The Valkyries have more than $1.2 million in salary cap space, the most in the league, and will be able to make an impact in free agency.
“We're open for business,” Nianin said Friday after the draft. “We're ready to talk to anyone who wants to have a conversation with us about joining us on this journey. We're really excited about the opportunity to welcome these free agents and college athletes. We want to be as flexible as possible to acquire athletes in the near future.”
Nneka Ogwumike, Kelsey Plumb and Alyssa Thomas will be among the most coveted free agents on the market on January 21, when teams can officially begin negotiating future contracts with free agents.
The contract cannot be signed until February 1st.
The Valkyries also have the No. 5 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
Valkyries Roster Outlook
When Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase talked to Nyanin about the type of player she wanted, Thornton was one of the first names that came to mind.
“She's a defensive specialist. “She's grown to be able to shoot threes. She's a ball of energy,” Nianin said of Thornton. “I’m really excited about her because she knows how to bring people together.”
New York was the “toughest choice” for Nianin due to his familiarity with the team.
Nyaning said she is looking forward to it, but she is also nervous.
There are many unknowns regarding the expansion draft process.
Unlike a regular draft, the Valkyries were not able to invite players to training or interviews to get a better feel for the players.
But overall, Nianin is happy with Golden State's start.
She believes they have a “competitive” roster full of players who want to win.
