Temi Fagbenle is going to be a Valkyrie. And no one expected it.
The Golden State Valkyries picked Fagbenle from the Indiana Fever during the WNBA expansion draft on Friday night to be a part of their inaugural roster.
Fagbenle returned to the WNBA in 2024 after taking a few years off to play in the United Kingdom, her home country. The 32-year-old was a veteran leader for the Fever despite her limited playing time, as three separate injuries caused her to play just 22 games.
It was a surprising pick; most mock drafts projected Fagbenle to be one of the six players the Fever decided to protect, pairing her with Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston, NaLyssa Smith and Lexie Hull.
WNBA Hall of Farmer Rebecca Lobo, who was on the desk for ESPN’s broadcast, was surprised by the pick, as well.
“The most shocking thing to me is that Temi Fagbenle was chosen,” Lobo said following the pick. “Not because she won’t be a great fit out in Golden State, but I am just really surprised that the Indiana Fever did not choose to protect her.”
Indiana Fever news: Indiana Fever fans vent after Golden State Valkyries pick Temi Fagbenle
Fagbenle was a crucial and veteran voice for the Fever as the only player that had won a WNBA championship — she played for the Minnesota Lynx during their title run in 2017, so she knew what it took to make a playoff run.
Fagbenle was a strong, versatile forward in the games she could play for the Fever this year. She could explode in the fullcourt, made good decisions with the ball and she worked well with Fever rookie Caitlin Clark, as she was one of the first teammates that could catch Clark’s fullcourt passes.
“When you talk about Temi Fagbenle, she was so much energy,” Andraya Carter added on the broadcast. “High energy, played fast, her motor, there were so many positive things, and she missed time with an injury. … We probably would’ve seen more growth from Temi Fagbenle (if she wasn’t injured), but the connection between her and Caitlin Clark was undeniable. They were so much fun to watch.”
But Fagbenle was also slated to be a restricted free agent this year. Those terms will go to the Valkyries, so Golden State will be able to match any offer she gets to retain her in free agency.
Why didn’t the Indiana Fever protect Temi Fagbenle in WNBA expansion draft?
There are multiple things that could’ve swayed the Fever to leave Fagbenle unprotected, and the first comes down to money.
As a restricted free agent in the WNBA, Fagbenle will be able to talk to and get offers from any team, and Golden State will need to match the offers she gets in order to retain her. The Fever brass could’ve decided that Fagbenle’s asking price or the offers she was projected to get were going to be too much — she made just $76,535 in 2024, according to Spotrac.
On top of that, Fagbenle would’ve been an unrestricted free agent in 2026, leaving her free to sign wherever she liked.
Another could’ve been Fagbenle’s age of 32, paired with the number of times she was injured in 2024. Fagbenle suffered foot, shoulder, and wrist injuries last season, which limited her actual time playing with the Fever to 22 games. While that was the first time Fagbenle had been injured that often during a season, the Fever could’ve seen those injuries as a risk, especially with her age.
With Fagbenle off the Fever’s roster, it leaves a hole at the 4 position. Fagbenle primarily played behind third-year forward NaLyssa Smith, but took some of her minutes as the season went on and when Fagbenle was healthy.
Smith publicly spoke about her dissatisfaction with her playing time this season, but that could’ve been directed at the Fever’s previous coaching staff. She reposted the Fever’s hiring of new coach Stephanie White after Christie Sides was fired.
At the very least, the Fever will be in the market for a new player at the 4 — whether it be a starter or backup.
Golden State full expansion draft roster
Former team in parenthesis
Iliana Rupert (Atlanta Dream)Maria Conde (Chicago Sky)Veronica Burton (Connecticut Sun)Carla Leite (Dallas Wings)Temi Fagbenle (Indiana Fever)Kate Martin (Las Vegas Aces)Steph Talbot (Los Angeles Sparks)Cecilia Zandalasini (Minnesota Lynx)Kayla Thornton (New York Liberty)Monique Billings (Phoenix Mercury)no selection for Seattle StormJulie Vanloo (Washington Mystics)
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Temi Fagbenle selected by Valkyries from Fever in WNBA expansion draft
