Game 6: Golden State Valkyries vs Minnesota Lynx, 5:30 PM PDT

third straight game vs a WNBA Finals team

The Commissioner’s Cup

This game is part of the in-season tournament. In the NBA, some fans scoffed at the whole thing, as the prize money paled in comparison to player salaries and also some people don’t like change. In the WNBA, I can’t help you with change, but since the salaries are way smaller, the prize money is quite significant to the players.

The Valkyries announce:

The Golden State Valkyries begin the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup, presented by Coinbase, this Sunday, June 1 against the Minnesota Lynx at 7 p.m. at Chase Center.

The Commissioner’s Cup is an annual in-season tournament in which the top team from each conference with the best Commissioner’s Cup record will compete for a $500,000 prize pool in the Championship game. The Commissioner’s Cup will also make charitable contributions to non-profit organizations aligned to the players’ social justice work, which will be presented to each organization at the conclusion of the Commissioner’s Cup Championship on Tuesday, July 1.

The non-profit beneficiary as chosen by Valkyries athletes is CURYJ (pronounced ‘courage’), which has been building community and mobilizing young leaders in the movement to end youth criminalization and mass incarceration since 2011. Located in Oakland, CURYJ unlocks the leadership of young people to dream beyond bars by providing life coaching, professional development, political education, and hands-on experience working on policy and grassroots campaigns.

The Valkyries will play six Commissioner's Cup games against their Western Conference foes, including three at Chase Center against the reigning Commissioner's Cup Champion Lynx (June 1), Las Vegas (June 7) and Seattle (June 14). Three of four all-time Commissioner’s Cup champions have come from the Western Conference (2024 - Minnesota; 2022 - Las Vegas; 2021 - Seattle). Four current Valkyries have won the Commissioner’s Cup in Cecilia Zandalasini (2024 with Minnesota), Kayla Thornton (2023 with New York), Head Coach Natalie Nakase (2022 with Las Vegas), and Stephane Talbot (2021 with Seattle).

FYI, each team has a charity partner for the Commissioner’s Cup: listed here: https://www.wnba.com/commissioners-cup/2025/community-organizations.

How to watch

• KPIX+ (Bay Area), KMAX (Sacramento)

  • In the Bay Area, KPIX is channel 5, and KPIX+, the home of Valkyries basketball, is channel 44 (cable 12). In Sacramento, KMAX is channel 31, and KOVR is channel 13.

• (For Friday games, they’re also on ION, available on Fubo and YouTube TV and elsewhere)

• WNBA League Pass if you are out of the blackout region. Even if blacked out, in theory the game is available right after the conclusion.

GSV Injury report

• NOBODY!

• This is the first time all year that the full squad will be available with no injury absences!

  • Just in time to lose a bunch of players for the Eurobasket tournament, probably after this game.

What to expect

From the Valkyries:

• High energy

• Fast pace, fast breaks

• Aggressive defense trying for on-ball steals and deflected passes

• Three-point shooting (not necessarily three-point making)

• Five-out sets

Comparative Team Power Rankings

Power rankings are all made up, but they are useful to see the conventional wisdom about teams. Here’s one from Andrew Haubner:

2. Minnesota Lynx (5-0)

The last question to answer so far this season was whether or not Minnesota had the firepower to compete with the top end of the WNBA table and on Tuesday night against Seattle, they proved they’re every bit as good as they were last year. Having Kayla McBride back in the lineup was a huge boost and provides a three point shooting advantage that few teams can replicate. She’s also the steady scorer on nights when Courtney Williams isn’t going. On nights where she is? Well you have the two combine for 14-26 shooting, 4-7 from 3 to combine for 38 points against a solid defense in Seattle.

Outside of Williams (who I think every team needs; that one streaky player who can just bury a team when they get hot), the rest of the Lynx can be characterized as maliciously competent. They just do everything well and are one of just two teams in the league (the other being New York) that are high floor/high ceiling. Napheesa Collier can have an off night and still give you 16 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals. The addition of Jessica Shepard has been a godsend, giving Minnesota another big interior option who can score and give you rotational flexibility. The defense is still a slight question mark, as Cheryl Reeve mentioned in the preseason, but there’s no reason to believe they aren’t going to contend for an NBA title again

8. Golden State Valkyries

Color me impressed with Natalie Nakase and the newest WNBA franchise. Despite the criticism they took with regard to their draft strategy and how vet laden their team became, clearly they had an idea of what kind of culture and program they wanted to build in year one. The Valkyries have beaten their contemporaries — Washington and L.A. — and clearly are a step behind the top teams as evidenced by their blowout loss in New York on Tuesday. But that’s to be expected.

I’ve been really impressed with Kayla Thornton, who has taken the reins as a number one option on this team while the European contingent of Jamelle Salaun and Carla Leite has been extremely fun to see develop. There’s an article to be written about whether or not the WNBA is actively training Team USA’s first true Olympic rival but that’s for another time. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t add Veronica Burton into players that have been impressive in a new setting. Few know about Burton’s collegiate dominance at Northwestern given their lack of national success but she was absolutely her. As a senior, she averaged 17.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 4.0 steals (!) per game. Despite bouncing around the W, she’s always been built for the league and I’m so glad to see her finding her footing in Golden State. Ultimately, the early returns are good and may make them very attractive in next years highly anticipated free agency period.

Apricot’s Game 5 Summary

• Full write up here

Oversimplified guide to the Valkyries roster

• Probable Starters, slightly scoring challenged but feisty defenders

  • #22 Veronica Burton. Solid point guard, outstanding defender and ball-stealer, decent at running pick-and-roll.

  • #5 Kayla Thornton. Key bench player for the champion Liberty, vet all-around forward. Likes to spot up for corner 3s and get dirty fighting for rebounds everywhere. With Burton seems to be a team leader and organizer.

  • #14 Temi Fágbénlé. Decent scoring, all-around, solid vet center.

  • #13 Janelle Salaün, Fresh off an Italian League Finals MVP, she joined GSV in Game 2 and hasn’t stopped shooting since. She’s reportedly headed for Eurobasket for June so enjoy her while you can.

  • ??? Was in previous games: Talbot, Vanloo, Hayes, Billings. Talbot started on Tuesday and Thursday vs the Liberty. Maybe Zandalisini will get the nod?

• Entertaining Bench, slightly chaotic

  • #0 Carla Leite, youngest at 21 y.o., was 2024-25 EuroCup Finals MVP.

    • Has settled down into two straight excellent games after an out of control opener, and has earned Nakase’s trust to play crunch time. However, didn’t play the second half v NYL, making me wonder if she is injured.

    • Promised NOT to leave for Eurobasket, a commitment that has won my heart.

  • #20 Kate Martin. The most popular player, Iowa teammate of Caitlin Clark.

    • Secondary playmaker. Limited WNBA experience, had good flashes in 3v3 Unrivaled.

    • Has hit a couple of threes but her finishing at the rim has been difficult

  • #31 Kyara Linskens.

    • Solid rebounding machine, a classic center. A little skittish at layups so far.

    • Also promised to NOT leave for Eurobasket.

  • #35 Julie Vanloo. Goddess of Chaos, inventive and ambitious playmaker guard, in the starting lineup for the injured Hayes to add some scoring punch. A little shaky on defense so far.

  • #7 Stephanie Talbot. Vet wing who can shoot the 3. Had been penciled in as starter in preseason, but injuries delayed her debut until Game 3 where she looked rusty.

  • #24 Cecilia Zandalasini. Another vet wing who can shoot the 3. Has been out all training camp with right foot issue but came into the Liberty game and hit big shots. She was given the last shot to tie the game, so Nakase believes in her.

  • #25 Monique Billings. Sturdy scorer and rebounding vet

• Maybe Not Playing (see Injury Report above for updated availability)

  • #15 Tiffany Hayes. Lightning bug driver, unstoppable in the open court. But this team leader (she spoke at opening day) had a bad nose injury and her return date is unclear.