WNBA expansion mock draft: Who should the Golden State Valkyries have their eye on?

The WNBA hasn’t welcomed a new franchise since 2008 when the Atlanta Dream began play. Expansion, however, is on the immediate horizon. The Golden State Valkyries will debut in May followed by unnamed franchises in Toronto and Portland in 2026. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert says she hopes to have 16 clubs by 2028.

The introduction of new organizations means the WNBA’s roster of 144 is growing. New spots will be created, and players also will be on the move.

The WNBA expansion draft will occur Dec. 6 and will follow these rules:

• Each of the 12 teams will submit to the league office a roster list of up to six players they are protecting. That list will come from every player to whom a team has rights, including each team’s active, suspended, draft list/reserved, core and retired lists, as of the final day of the 2024 regular season.

• Golden State can acquire the contract of, or the negotiating rights to, one available player from each team.

• The Valkyries can select only one unrestricted free agent in the expansion draft, provided that player is still eligible to be cored.

An expansion draft is the historical norm when any sports league grows. American leagues including the NBA, NHL and MLB have participated in this process. Most recently, the NWSL had one at the end of 2023 to welcome Bay FC and the Utah Royals. However, Bay FC selected only five players and the Royals two out of a possible 12. The NWSL has since done away with drafts altogether — both expansion and college — to provide players with more agency in their team choices.

“It’s not the easiest thing to change your life, but at the same time, it’s probably the only way to have a real expansion is to do it that way,” Seattle Storm guard Jewell Loyd said. “It’s definitely different, but it’s also part of the business.”

Maybe it doesn’t have to be, as the NWSL will attempt to prove, but for now, this is how expansion will take place in the WNBA.

“It’s tough for the players because you’re getting uprooted from your team, but I think it’s great fan engagement,” Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier said. “It’s something to talk about, you’re talking about the trades or who went where and that uprooting of people. So it sucks for the players, but it’s great for everyone else.”

The draft isn’t an ideal method for Golden State to build its roster, either, because the Valkyries can select only role players once each team protects its top six. In some instances, it would behoove Golden State to pass and leave roster spots open for free agency. However, it’s important to note that the Valkyries can waive any player taken in the expansion draft before the start of the season without a hit to their salary cap, and the players still get paid the full value of their contracts. As a result, the players selected in the draft wouldn’t necessarily start the season on Golden State’s roster. (Teams will provide their official protected lists Monday.)

Our exercise below simulates the expansion draft from the perspective of the 12 teams as well as the Valkyries. Ben Pickman and Sabreena Merchant decided which six players each team will protect and then speculated which remaining unprotected players Golden State will select.

Atlanta Dream

Pickman

Golden State could have selected several viable players in this exercise. But with intriguing international prospects Isobel Borlase and Nyadiew Puoch among those protected by the Dream, I went with Haley Jones, who will begin her third WNBA season next year. Still on a rookie contract, Jones was one of the most anticipated prospects in the 2023 draft class before she slid down draft boards as a senior at Stanford, eventually going No. 6 to Atlanta. Though she is still a limited shooter (career 21.4 percent on 3-pointers), Jones has found ways to contribute. As a defender, she’s versatile because of her size and has proved effective. Opponents shot just 33.3 percent at the rim on shots she defended last season, according to Synergy Sports. Another bonus is that as a California native, Jones could be a draw for local fans.

Merchant

Laeticia Amihere has played 230 total minutes in two WNBA seasons and came off the bench at South Carolina, so a lot less tape exists on her than other WNBA players. However, her athleticism is tantalizing. She has shown flashes of being a special defensive talent at 6 foot 3 with a 6-10 wingspan, and the Gamecocks’ Dawn Staley called her the most versatile player she’s coached. The Dream’s defense was 13.2 points per 100 possessions better with her on the court in 2024, albeit in limited minutes. The only way to succeed in this league is with star talent, which isn’t readily available in the expansion draft, so Golden State will have to take some big swings. Amihere is the first one.

Dana Evans is a restricted free agent, but she could benefit from joining a new team willing to give her increased opportunities. During her exit interview with Chicago, she said she would like to have “someone that’s going to give you some grace,” and an expansion franchise seems like a perfect place for that. She opened last season as Chicago’s starting point guard and showed flashes as a dynamic offensive creator by finishing with double-digit points in her first seven games. Still only 26, Evans also shot 37.8 percent from 3 last season and is reliable at the free-throw line, making 48 of her 50 attempts in 2024.

The decision here comes down to taking Chennedy Carter or passing on the Sky altogether, as the unprotected veterans on Chicago’s roster (Brianna Turner, Isabelle Harrison, Moriah Jefferson, Diamond DeShields and Evans) aren’t intriguing enough for Golden State’s selection. Carter is massively talented, evidenced by her 17.5 points per game as the Sky pushed for the playoffs in 2024. However, if Chicago is willing to part with her by leaving her unprotected, then the rumblings about Carter’s behavior are worth taking seriously. (The Dream and Sparks have already given up on her in her four-year WNBA career.) It would be too risky to bring Carter onto a new roster.

Connecticut Sun

Pickman and Merchant

Like many other players on this list, Veronica Burton is younger than 25 and has shown flashes of potential throughout her first three WNBA seasons. Burton’s role with the Wings was hampered by her 3-point limitations (only 27.5 percent), but she was a solid defender and smart offensive initiator. With the Sun, her offensive game has improved (she has scored 8 points or more six times in 28 regular-season games, up from five combined times in her first 76 games). Burton came alive in the playoffs, raising the question of whether Connecticut would protect her over Leïla Lacan, but for now, she is a high-value pick for the Valkyries.

Dallas Wings

Another high-upside selection, Carla Leite was the Wings’ No. 9 pick in April. A French guard who is only 20, she drew pre-draft praise from one WNBA general manager for her court awareness, change of speed, ballhandling and ability to attack the rim. She has been a proven scorer on the international level, averaging 18.4 points in last year’s FIBA U20 Women’s European Championship, and she scored double digits in all but two of her French league games last season. Her 3-point shot is an area for growth (only 23.1 percent in French league play last season), but with time, she could be an impact WNBA player.

Grace Berger was a consideration, but her positional similarity to Burton and Leite caused us to go in a different direction because there wouldn’t be enough minutes for all three. As a result, Damiris Dantas is the pick. A veteran stretch big (career 34.5 percent 3-point shooter), she’ll act as a mentor in the locker room and serve as a pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop partner with young guards.

Los Angeles Sparks

In this scenario, Golden State is choosing to maximize its roster flexibility over taking a player. Li Yueru is a reasonable selection, and Zia Cooke could also be an option if there weren’t as many guard options across the league.

Another high-upside play. Li has been dominant for the Chinese national team (17.7 points and 11 rebounds per game at the 2024 Olympics) and has been increasingly comfortable in the WNBA. She has a smooth shooting touch, evidenced by making 89.8 percent from the foul line, and a variety of post moves. Li still gets a little rushed when she looks to score, but Golden State can afford to take time to develop her. If she can learn to take advantage of her 6-7 frame, she’ll be a nightmare for opposing defenses.

The Valkyries should also have interest in Kia Nurse as a veteran shooter, and because Nurse is an unrestricted free agent, it would be easier to try to sign her outright.

The Valkyries would rather have open roster spots and trade flexibility than select Kierstan Bell, Sydney Colson, Megan Gustafson or Kiah Stokes. Bell hasn’t shown much over the last two years in Las Vegas. Colson and Stokes are veterans with limited upside, and Gustafson would face a logjam in the post. With Tiffany Hayes, there is no guarantee she would even come to Golden State, considering she recently announced her WNBA retirement.

Minnesota Lynx

The Lynx’s depth helped lead them to the WNBA Finals, but they should be watched closely heading into the expansion draft. Team president and head coach Cheryl Reeve will have to make difficult decisions about who to protect, though no matter what she decides, high-potential or high-impact players will be available.

Cecilia Zandalasini returned to the WNBA this season after five years away. Though she averaged only 12.2 minutes per game, the 28-year-old wing proved impactful. She shot 45.3 percent from the field and 44.3 from 3-point range, the sixth-best mark in the WNBA. Zandalasini can create in the pick-and-roll and was a smart off-ball cutter for Minnesota. In Europe, she’s done even more in a larger role. She averaged 13.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game in EuroLeague action last season for the Italian team Virtus Bologna. Alissa Pili, Dorka Juhász and Jessica Shepard were left unprotected by Minnesota in this exercise and were also potential targets, but only Zandalasini among that group has shown she can compete in the high-level WNBA games. If I’m Golden State, I’m also looking to broker a deal for Juhász, who could be an instant contributor next year.

Pili and Amihere are essentially opposite sides of the coin. While Amihere is all potential, Pili was hyperproductive in college but her build creates questions about her pro viability. Her skill set is too deep to pass up. She can score and create from anywhere on the floor but needs to improve her quickness against WNBA athletes. Ideally, surrounding her with athleticism at every position will hide some of her defensive deficiencies. Pili is the first true bucket-getter I’ve picked for Golden State, so she’ll have every opportunity to explore her offensive game.

New York Liberty

The WNBA hasn’t seen much of Han Xu in recent years, but if anyone is familiar with her impact, it’s Golden State president of basketball operations Ohemaa Nyanin. Han spent much of the 2023 season away from the Liberty focusing on national team duties, but she played an important role on New York’s 2022 roster, averaging 8.5 points and 3.6 rebounds in 16.8 minutes per game. Han is only 25, and at 6-10, her upside remains broadly appealing. She averaged nearly 10 points and seven rebounds at the Paris Olympics, and she has been a consistent force in the WCBA, where she routinely goes up against some of the WNBA’s top centers.

Nyanin was the assistant general manager when the Liberty acquired Kayla Thornton in a three-team trade, which also brought back Jonquel Jones, and Nyanin was part of the front office that extended the veteran forward. Since arriving in Brooklyn, Thornton has reinforced her importance as a versatile wing capable of playing numerous roles. On some nights, she helps guard opposing teams’ best perimeter players and becomes a floor spacer on offense (nearly 50 percent of her 3-point attempts last season were from the corners). Thrust into a starting role 11 times, she has shown more diversity in her offensive repertoire, averaging 9.5 points (which would be a career high) and 4.3 rebounds on 44.7 percent shooting from the field. Golden State could use a connector, and Thornton can adapt to various personnel groupings and styles.

Sabreena makes a compelling case for Celeste Taylor, but I’ve chosen to leave my roster under 10 players in hopes of building in free agency, trades and the draft rather than stocking it right away. 

These protections assume Diana Taurasi retires and the Mercury don’t have to use a spot on her, which they assuredly would if she continues playing. As it stands, Phoenix would have two protected spots among Mikiah Herbert Harrigan, Natasha Mack and Taylor, and whoever is left unprotected would be selected by the Valkyries. As a rookie, Taylor showed off impressive defense at the point of attack, which was unsurprising for the two-time Defensive Player of the Year in the ACC and Big Ten. She still has work to do in running an offense, and staying attached to Natasha Cloud would be valuable to her development. But she’s another athletic, toolsy young player for the Valkyries to take a chance on. 

Seattle Storm

The unprotected players in Seattle are Joyner Holmes, Mercedes Russell, Victoria Vivians and Sami Whitcomb. None moves the needle, especially since Whitcomb’s shooting fell off a cliff in 2024.

Following a trend, Emily Engstler is another high-pedigree young player who could blossom if given the opportunity. The Fever’s No. 4 pick in the 2022 draft, she is on her third team in three seasons. It appears in Washington, she’s finally found a place for success. Golden State’s front office should dive into the game film of her 23-point, nine-rebound performance against Dallas and her 13-point, four-rebound performance against the Wings the next night. She was an effective floor spacer and rim-runner on offense in those games. Engstler averaged 8.3 points and 4.9 rebounds in the second half of the season and made 51.4 percent on 3-pointers.

If not Engstler, Karlie Samuelson would be another solid option. Even though she’ll be 30 at the start of next season, she’s a career 39.7 percent 3-point shooter and would provide a much-needed consistent perimeter threat to the Bay Area. Samuelson also is a local favorite as a California native and Stanford grad.

The expansion draft has tried to strike a middle ground between building a talented roster for the present and future, but it also maintains flexibility for upcoming free agency and the draft. It features young talent in Jones, Burton, Leite (though she may not come over next year), Engstler and Han, who can all continue developing while contributing. But there are also veterans, namely Banham and Dantas, who can help in action and also in creating locker room culture.

Han is the lone traditional center on the roster, and I wrestled with her selection over Thornton (plus the choice to take Zandalasini over Juhász). But there are also several bigs who will be unrestricted free agents, including Brionna Jones, Cheyenne Parker-Tyus, Brittney Griner, Nneka Ogwumike and Tina Charles who could start immediately. We’d also be eyeing a possible trade for Elena Delle Donne to fill that void. Zandalisini, Engstler and Jones should help on the wing, and the backcourt is deep with Burton and Evans, who has proven offensive success when given runway to create. With a solid core from the expansion draft and ownership investment, Golden State can immediately be an appealing home for some of the aforementioned veterans. Owner Joe Lacob said in June he believes the franchise can win a title within five years. This roster serves as a first step.

Regardless of how the draft or free agency go for the Valkyries, the expansion draft has yielded a full roster with three point guard prospects, two young bigs and two fliers at combo-forward. The roster features two veterans to help stabilize the locker room. It might take some time for the Valkyries to become an attractive free-agent destination, so it’s important to have a coherent team in place so the front office can evaluate the young talent. Leite might not come over right away and Thornton can potentially be flipped to a contender, which would change the makeup of this team. As it stands, I’m excited to see Burton and Taylor run an offense, Yueru and Pili stretch their wings with more shot attempts, and Amihere and Engstler have more responsibilities on offense and defense with the understanding that it will take some time to build a winning team.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

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