The expansion franchise will not be starting from the top spot in the draft next summer.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert revealed that the Golden State Valkyries have been assigned the fifth overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, which will take place on April 14. The expansion team will not be in the lottery for the top-four picks, which will go to the four franchises that missed the postseason this year. Nevertheless, they have been assigned the fifth pick in all three rounds of the draft. However, nothing prevents the Valkyries from trading those selections to move up in the draft, or to acquire more proven veteran talent.
Valkyries general manager Ohemaa Nyanin and head coach Natalie Nakase will have a tall task ahead of them this offseason as they construct the franchise’s first roster. The Valkyries will first get to fill out their roster via the expansion draft in December. Soon after, they will be able to continue adding veterans via free agency. Then, they will head to the draft to finish constructing their roster for their debut season.
Removed from the lottery, the Valkyries are likely now unable to land UCONN point guard Paige Bueckers in the draft barring a trade. Nevertheless, the team should still have plenty of top collegiate talents to choose from. Bueckers’ teammate Azzi Fudd, LSU small forward Annesah Morrow, recent Texas A&M transfer to UCLA Janiah Barker, and Notre Dame’s backcourt of Olivia Miles and Sonia Citron are all some names that currently look like potential options at that point in the first round, though much could change with the upcoming college season.
