Game 9: Golden State Valkyries @ Los Angeles Sparks, 7:00 PM PDT.
The return of Amihere
Catching a breath after a killer stretch of games
GSV just ended a killer stretch of games against
#1 Liberty (shocked and awed in H1, stormed back H2)
#1 Liberty (had 3 shots in last min to win or tie)
#1 Lynx (even game through 2.5 quarters)
#5 Mercury (blew 8 point lead in last 4 min)
#4 Aces (crushed LVA)
Whew, that is a really rough schedule. Our team is a ragtag bunch of rejects (literally as teams protected 6 players from the expansion draft) that have been together for 1 month and have had starters injured for every game. And they are not backing down from the absolute best in women’s basketball. They in fact have been playing even or better through large stretches. Ended up a disappointing 1-4 but could easily have been a 3-2 stretch.
Things will get a little easier now:
#11 Sparks ←YOU ARE HERE
#6 Storm
#13 Wings
There is the little issue of 1/3 of the team leaving for Eurobasket. But until then, expect ferocious fight and heart against the odds, and if we ever get a Full Squad, then they should be able to beat all but the top WNBA teams.
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 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.
FYI, each team has a charity partner for the Commissioner’s Cup: listed here: https://www.wnba.com/commissioners-cup/2025/community-organizations.
All 36 games played from June 1-17 will count toward the Commissioner’s Cup standings and the regular season standings
Each team will play the other teams in their conference one time during that window – West teams will play six games, East teams will play five
The team from each conference with the best winning percentage in Cup play will advance to the title game, which will be played on July 1
The Cup games are:
June 1 Minnesota (close until Q4)
June 5 at Phoenix (blew 8 pt lead in last 4 min)
June 7 Las Vegas (thrilling blowout)
June 9 at Los Angeles
June 14 Seattle
June 17 at Dallas
How to watch
As usual: 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 / absence report
Tiffany Hayes - OUT - Nose
Cecilia Zandalasini – NWT – Overseas Commitment
Zandalasini is officially gone for Eurobasket.
Valkyries sign Laeticia Amihere for rest of season and waive Kyara Linskens.
Amihere is supposed to be available, but I wouldn’t expect her to play that much.
No notice yet about losing other players for the Eurobasket tournament, which could happen as soon 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 Newsweek:
11. Golden State Valkyries (2-5)
Upcoming: LAS (6/9), SEA (6/14)
The Golden State Valkyries' record looks worse than it actually is, especially for the team's inaugural season. The veteran-laced squad kicked off the season with back-to-back wins against rebuilding a rebuilding Mystics squad and a retooling Sparks team, but then ran into a buzz saw of the league's most elite teams, including back-to-back games against the champion New York Liberty.
Among the bright spots for the team is undrafted rookie Janelle Salaün, who starred during the 2024 Summer Olympics with the Parisian national team.
10. Los Angeles Sparks (2-6)
Upcoming: GSV (6/9), LVA (6/11), MIN (6/14)
Sparks are not flying in Hollywood with the Kelsey Plum- and Dearica Hamby-led squad on a three-game losing streak, including a breakdown against Phoenix that saw them squander an 18-point first-half lead.
The Sparks have been without key contributors in all-rookie selection Rickea Jackson and Rae Burrell, who were poised to make a larger impact this season. That's not to mention last year's number two pick, Cameron Brink, who is still working her way back to the court after tearing her ACL last season.
Apricot’s recent game summaries
Game 8 wrap. Valkyries blow out #3 Aces and contain MVP A’ja Wilson
Game 7 wrap: Buddhism teaches us that suffering comes from attachment to material things
Oversimplified guide to the Valkyries roster
Four players are planned to leave through the month of June to participate in Eurobasket (thoroughly explained earlier): Fagbenle, Salaun, Vanloo, Zandalasini. Don’t worry, just four of the most important players. A shooting-starved team is losing their #1, #2, and #4 in threes per game, and Fagbenle is their starting center. This is a huge disruption to a team that has only been together about 1 month. It’s also a big opportunity for everyone staying.
They could be gone as soon as this game. I’ll update when we know more.
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: Zandalasini, Hayes, Talbot, Talbot, Vanloo, Hayes, Billings. Hayes missed last game due to a nose re-injury.
Entertaining Bench, slightly chaotic
#0 Carla Leite, youngest at 21 y.o., was 2024-25 EuroCup Finals MVP.
Has been in Nakase’s doghouse, barely playing the last 4 games; Had settled down into two straight excellent games after an out of control opener.
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.
Has hit a couple of threes but her finishing at the rim has been difficult
Starting to settle in a bit as a shooter and even as a screener for pick-and-pop. Chaotic on defense: some very heads-up rotations, some bad switches.
#35 Julie Vanloo. Goddess of Chaos, inventive and ambitious playmaker guard. Wild with the ball (5+ TOV per 36 minutes) but also makes wild positive plays. 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.
#25 Monique Billings. Sturdy scorer and rebounding vet, starting to really hit her stride as the screener in pick and roll.
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 RE-INJURY and her return date is unclear.
Away for Eurobasket
#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.
New wrap thread is up. Please clean up behind you and last one out turn off the lights.
Leite out of the doghouse and into the closing lineup. Great great win