Building a professional sports team from scratch is usually a mess of spreadsheets and hopeful guesses. But when the Golden State Valkyries expansion draft finally went down on December 6, 2024, at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, it felt different. There was this weirdly high level of hype for a roster-building exercise. Maybe because it was the WNBA's first expansion since 2008. Or maybe because everyone wanted to see who would leave Caitlin Clark’s side in Indy or Becky Hammon’s powerhouse in Vegas.
The Valkyries didn't just pick players; they made a statement about what kind of basketball they wanted to play.
The Night Everything Changed
It was a Friday night. San Francisco. Celebrities like E-40 and Baron Davis were on hand to announce the names. It wasn't just some boring office meeting. General Manager Ohemaa Nyanin and Head Coach Natalie Nakase had a very specific shopping list. They needed a mix of gritty defenders, international stars, and players who weren't afraid of the spotlight that comes with being the first-ever "Valkyrie."
Basically, they had the right to pick one player from each of the 12 existing teams—but they didn't have to. They ended up taking 11. The Seattle Storm was the only team left completely untouched.
Honestly, the room shifted when Kate Martin’s name was called. You’ve probably seen the social media clips. Martin, a fan favorite from the Las Vegas Aces and former teammate of Caitlin Clark at Iowa, was a major "get." She wasn't just a bench warmer; she brought a championship pedigree and a massive following. For the Valkyries, she was the perfect cultural bridge between a brand-new franchise and a hungry fanbase.
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The Strategy Most People Missed
People kept asking: Why didn't they take a bigger superstar?
The rules were tricky. Existing teams could protect six players. That meant the "big fish" like A'ja Wilson or Breanna Stewart were never on the table. But the Valkyries played it smart with the "one free agent" rule. They were only allowed to pick one unrestricted free agent (UFA) in the whole draft. They chose Monique Billings from the Phoenix Mercury.
Billings is a relentless rebounder. She’s all hustle. By picking her as their lone UFA, they secured her negotiating rights and eventually designated her as their "Core" player. It was a chess move to ensure they had a veteran post presence before free agency even started in February 2025.
The Full 2024 Expansion Draft List
- Monique Billings (Phoenix Mercury) - The veteran anchor.
- Kate Martin (Las Vegas Aces) - The "glue" player and fan favorite.
- Temi Fagbenle (Indiana Fever) - A shocker for many. She was huge for the Fever’s 2024 run.
- Kayla Thornton (New York Liberty) - Fresh off a championship with New York. Pure grit.
- Veronica Burton (Connecticut Sun) - A defensive specialist who later became a cornerstone.
- Julie Vanloo (Washington Mystics) - The Belgian point guard who can shoot from the logo.
- Stephanie Talbot (Los Angeles Sparks) - Australian sharpshooter.
- Cecilia Zandalasini (Minnesota Lynx) - Italian forward with an elite offensive game.
- Iliana Rupert (Atlanta Dream) - French center with championship experience.
- Carla Leite (Dallas Wings) - A young French guard with massive upside.
- Maria Conde (Chicago Sky) - A Spanish star who’d been tearing it up in Europe.
Why the International Focus?
If you look at that list, it’s basically a United Nations of basketball. Seven international players. Nyanin and Nakase clearly weren't just looking at WNBA box scores. They were looking at the EuroLeague. They were looking at the Olympics.
Take Carla Leite and Maria Conde. Most casual fans hadn't seen them play much in the States. But Leite was a top-ten pick who stayed in France to develop. Conde has been one of the best forwards in Europe for years. By grabbing these rights, the Valkyries built a roster that was more skilled and "positionless" than your average WNBA squad. It was a gamble on talent over name recognition.
The Fallout and Future Moves
The expansion draft was only the beginning. It set the stage for the 2025 WNBA Draft, where the Valkyries held the No. 5 overall pick. But the real story of 2025 turned out to be Veronica Burton.
Think about it. She was picked from Connecticut, where she was a solid role player. By September 2025, she was named the WNBA’s Most Improved Player. That’s the "expansion effect." Players who are stuck behind superstars on deep rosters suddenly get 30 minutes a night. Burton took that opportunity and ran with it, especially after Kayla Thornton went down with a knee injury in July.
It wasn't all perfect, though. Building chemistry from 11 different systems is brutal. There were games early in the 2025 season where they looked like they’d never met each other. But the defensive identity—led by Burton and Thornton—kept them competitive in the Western Conference.
How to Evaluate an Expansion Roster
If you’re trying to figure out if an expansion draft worked, don't look at the win-loss record in the first month. Look at the assets.
The Valkyries walked away with:
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- Championship DNA: Four players (Fagbenle, Zandalasini, Rupert, Thornton) already had rings.
- Trade Chips: They had rights to international players they could potentially flip.
- Salary Cap Flexibility: Because they didn't overpay for "names," they had room to sign Tiffany Hayes later on.
The Golden State Valkyries expansion draft wasn't just about filling 11 roster spots. It was about proving that the Bay Area was a destination. They chose players who fit a high-energy, high-IQ style. It was a masterclass in scouting the "middle of the roster" to find future starters.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans
- Follow the "Unprotected" Lists: Next time an expansion draft happens (looking at you, Portland and Toronto), keep an eye on the 7th and 8th players on deep rosters. That’s where the value is.
- Watch the International Rights: Just because a player isn't in the league today doesn't mean they aren't a star. The Valkyries proved that scouting Europe is the new market inefficiency.
- Don't Ignore the "Glue" Players: Superstars sell jerseys, but expansion teams live and die by the Kate Martins and Veronica Burtons of the world—players who do the dirty work while the franchise finds its footing.