The Golden State Valkyries are turning heads in their very first WNBA season. With a 10–12 record, they’ve managed to stay right in the mix for a playoff spot, something few expected from an expansion team. Under head coach Natalie Nakase, they’ve built a solid foundation, especially on defence. In fact, the Valkyries currently have the third-best scoring defence in the entire league.
A major part of that success has been Kayla Thornton, a veteran forward who was picked up during the expansion draft. Thornton came to Golden State fresh off a WNBA championship with the New York Liberty in 2024 and has brought both experience and high-level play to this young franchise.
But she’s done more than just lead, Thornton is having the best season of her career. She’s averaging 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game, all of which have helped earn her her first-ever All-Star selection in her 10th year in the league. Her steady presence on both ends of the court has been a game-changer for the Valkyries.
Unfortunately, Golden State will now have to see what they can do without her, at least for now. The team announced that Thornton will miss her first game of the season on Friday due to a lower leg injury that’s currently being evaluated. That means she’ll be sidelined when the Dallas Wings, one of her former teams, come to town for a late-night showdown at Chase Centre.
This will be a big test for the Valkyries. The Wings are riding high after a recent upset win over the Seattle Storm, and rookie sensation Paige Bueckers is playing lights-out basketball. When the Wings and Valkyries last faced off in the Commissioner’s Cup on June 17, Bueckers dropped 20 points and helped lead Dallas to an 80–71 victory.
Now, with the second half of the season heating up and the playoff race tightening, Golden State will have to lean on the rest of its roster to hold off a confident, youthful Dallas squad, all without one of their most important players.