The Golden State Valkyries constructed much of their first WNBA roster through Friday night’s expansion draft.
Led by general manager Ohemaa Nyanin, appointed by the club in May, the franchise sprinted to identify targets who fit their vision for building a contender. Now, it has put the preparation into practice.
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The WNBA’s first expansion draft since 2008 marked unfamiliar territory for many people around the league. The Valkyries were enthusiastic about the occasion given the upbeat business climate for women’s basketball. Adding the San Francisco Bay Area market to the league’s portfolio could spur business growth for everyone in the association.
Fans in Toronto and Portland likely paid close attention to this expansion draft. Unless there is a major change during upcoming CBA negotiations, those cities will use the same team-building process next winter before they begin play in 2026.
Below is a look at the rules and results from Friday night’s event, including the expansion draft structure and potential concerns about the process.
Rules and format for the WNBA expansion draft
During the expansion draft, the Valkyries were allowed to make up to 12 selections from a pool of unprotected players, able to choose one such athlete from each team around the league. They ultimately chose 11 newcomers.
Franchises could shield up to six players for whom they hold rights (including international talent) from Golden State, with the rest of the players open for the taking.
Golden State also had the ability to pick one unrestricted free agent for its roster as long as that person had not previously played under a core player contract for two or more seasons. (As described by the league, a core contract resembles a franchise tag from other sports leagues and is a fully guaranteed one-year deal worth the maximum salary allowed in the CBA). If Golden State selected a free agent, it would count as a pick from the last organization they played for.
Additionally, the Valkyries were allowed to make trades involving expansion picks, including deals that would change their placement in the spring college entry draft. They currently hold the No. 5 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
Golden State will need at least 11 players when rosters lock for the 2025 season and can carry a maximum of 12 players.
How and when to watch the WNBA expansion draft
ESPN broadcasted the expansion draft live on Friday night starting at 6:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. local time) at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The Disney-owned network is responsible for airing most of the WNBA’s marquee events, including the WNBA Finals, WNBA Draft and All-Star festivities.
One aspect of the expansion draft was not publicized: the lists of players left unprotected by their organizations and thus made available to the Valkyries. In theory, keeping names under wraps will limit the awkwardness of the process and preserve franchise-player relations.
Expansion draft criticisms
American sports leagues have long used expansion drafts as a means to competitive balance for their newcomers. In rare cases, expansion teams use the process as a launching pad for immediate success. For example, the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights reached the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season in 2017-18.
But gripes stemming from multiple expansion drafts in recent years ultimately led the NWSL to end the practice in its new CBA. Veteran players don’t enjoy being cast aside by their clubs and rerouted to new ones. Existing franchises that have successfully executed complex roster-building strategies hate seeing their hard work undone, helpless as key role players depart.
In U.S. pro women’s soccer, which fast-tracked expansion before women’s basketball, bringing in multiple expansion teams in a short period of time created a source of overriding tension.
“I don’t think people actually realize the damage that is created by this process and what it does to players, clubs and those relationships,” wrote North Carolina Courage head coach Sean Nahas on social media last year following expansion draft roster scavenging by Bay FC and Utah Royals FC.
There is not yet any indication that the WNBPA will follow the NWSL’s lead, and representatives have already publicly identified other CBA negotiation priorities that might come first, including a desire to revisit the hard salary cap and obtain a larger, guaranteed share of league revenue. The WNBPA did not respond to a request for comment for this story.
However, at a time when its players have more power than ever before and the league enters an era of franchise additions, with Portland, Toronto and a yet-to-be-announced 16th city on the way, there is seemingly no better time for the WNBPA to bring expansion draft concerns to the negotiating table than over the next year.
Who did Valkyries pick in WNBA expansion draft?
This section has been updated with every Golden State pick. The Valkyries chose not to make a selection from the Seattle Storm.
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Iliana Rupert (from Atlanta Dream)
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Maria Conde (Chicago Sky)
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Veronica Burton (Connecticut Sun)
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Carla Leite (Dallas Wings)
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Temi Fagbenle (Indiana Fever)
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Kate Martin (Las Vegas Aces)
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Stephanie Talbot (Los Angeles Sparks)
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Cecilia Zandalasini (Minnesota Lynx)
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Kayla Thornton (New York Liberty)
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Monique Billings (Dallas Wings)
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Washington Mystics (Julie Vanloo)
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