The Golden State Valkyries’ Expansion Draft Is Set for December 6th
The Valkyries Will Have the Opportunity to Select One Unprotected Player From Each of the 12 WNBA Teams
A New Era
In WNBA news, the league has announced its newest entry, the Golden State Valkyries, will create its roster from the players left unprotected by the 12 other teams on Friday, December 6th, in its expansion draft.
We are the Golden State Valkyries
Narrated by Kehlani pic.twitter.com/VGY0AAJKa5
— Golden State Valkyries (@wnbagoldenstate) May 14, 2024
Valkyries Open for Business
General Manager Ohemaa Nyanin will begin putting the pieces to what she and Valkyries fans hope will be a championship puzzle on December 6th when she gets the opportunity to poach the rosters of the dozen other teams in the league. It is the first time since 2008 when the Atlanta Dream was welcomed into the league, that an expansion draft has occurred.
But don’t expect the Valkyries to get the picks of the proverbial litter, as stars like A’ja Wilson, Caitlin Clark, and Breanna Stewart will all be protected on their respective teams and unavailable to play WNBA games in a Valkyries uniform next season.
Caitlin Clark generated more of her team’s points than every WNBA/NBA player except Luka Doncic 🤯
(h/t JxmyHighroller) pic.twitter.com/T3OxkkIHIM— Clark Report (@CClarkReport) October 1, 2024
According to reports, Valkyries majority owner Joe Lacob has given Nyanin a five-year window to climb the WNBA standings and bring a championship to the Bay Area. But first things first, let’s review the rules of Golden State’s expansion draft and see how it all works.
Rules Are Rules
Upon completion of the 2024 WNBA season, each team will be required to submit a list of six players on what is routinely a 12-player roster who are protected and cannot be drafted. Therefore, the superstars will all likely stay put unless a trade is worked out with the newest WNBA entry.
Speaking of trades, the Valkyries have the right to make pre-expansion draft trades, which includes the opportunity to select specific players and trade them to other teams.
The Valkyries may only select one player set to become an unrestricted free agent following the 2024 season.
What’s Next?
Fans are wondering where the Valkyries will be positioned in April’s WNBA Draft. Many assume they will pick first, but that is unlikely as there are four lottery teams—the Los Angeles Sparks, Dallas Wings, Chicago Sky, and Washington Mystics—that are designated as such by not qualifying for the playoffs and will occupy picks No. 1 through No. 4.
ESPN has released its updated 2025 WNBA Mock Draft:
1. Paige Bueckers — Los Angeles
2. Kiki Iriafen — Dallas
3. Aneesah Morrow — Chicago
4. Azzi Fudd — Washington
5. Olivia Miles — Golden State
6. Shyanne Sellers — Washington
7. Dominique Malonga — New York
8. Janiah Barker —… pic.twitter.com/Lp6BNkuBpQ— I talk hoops 🏀 (@trendyhoopstars) September 24, 2024
The conventional wisdom is that Golden State will be slotted as the No. 5 team in the draft, but that has yet to be confirmed as of this writing. We should also note that the Valkyries could swing a deal with one of the lottery teams to move up in the draft and select one of the top college players available in this upcoming draft.
In April’s 2025 WNBA Draft, UConn’s Paige Bueckers is the consensus No. 1 overall choice, but much can happen between now and then. If Bueckers is chosen first, it will only be the second time in league history that guards have been selected first overall in back-to-back drafts.
It previously happened in 2019 when Notre Dame’s Jackie Young was selected No. 1 by the Las Vegas Aces and again in 2020 when Oregon’s Sabrina Ionescu was tapped first overall by the New York Liberty.
