SAN FRANCISCO — Kayla Thornton grabbed the rebound and sprinted downcourt. The Golden State Valkyries ahead Euro-stepped across the lone defender between her and the basket, reached the rim and hit a reverse layup.
The gang erupted, sensing the second-half comeback in opposition to the Chicago Sky was practically full. Thornton retreated alongside the sideline, the place Golden State proprietor Joe Lacob reached out for a excessive 5. She slapped his hand, then stopped and set free a roar, sending the followers into an excellent greater frenzy.
Such scenes at Chase Heart have change into commonplace for the WNBA’s first growth franchise in 17 years. Golden State has offered out all 11 of its house video games this season and leads the WNBA in attendance.
In Norse mythology, Valhalla is the resting place for excellent warriors who died in battle. In the summertime, Chase Heart transforms into Ballhalla, the Valkyries’ nickname for its house court docket that commonly attracts 18,000 followers.
The power has been brewing within the Bay Space since Golden State was awarded a workforce 20 months in the past. Valkyries violet could possibly be seen littering the streets of San Francisco a yr earlier than they began taking part in video games, and Golden State grew to become the primary workforce in girls’s sports activities historical past to promote 15,000 season ticket deposits. The town was behind them, and halfway by way of their inaugural season, the Valkyries are on tempo to have the best common house attendance by any workforce in WNBA historical past, in keeping with Throughout the Timeline.
Golden State’s accomplishments on the court docket have been extra of a shock. When the Valkyries opened camp in April, the entrance workplace mentioned success this season can be measured by the gamers’ stage of buy-in. However the Valkyries (10-12) are within the hunt to change into the primary WNBA growth workforce to achieve the postseason in its first yr. Golden State has one of many league’s prime 5 defenses, holding opponents to the second-lowest scoring whole within the league.
And although the workforce limped into the All-Star break, dropping 5 of six video games to date in July, the Valkyries have exceeded practically all the expectations surrounding their first season — even those they set for themselves.
“I believe we now have surpassed what we set out for,” Thornton instructed ESPN. “I assumed it was going to take us just a little extra time to get to know one another, to get to know the system …
“The truth that we simply go on the market and play with pleasure, we play selfless. It makes the sport a lot simpler.”
NATALIE NAKASE KNEW her gamers’ skill to attach with one another can be essential on a brand new workforce pieced collectively from two drafts and free company. And as Golden State’s coach and entrance workplace constructed the roster over the previous yr, that they had a specific ultimate in thoughts.
“We would have liked to choose gamers with that team-before-self mindset; with that chip on their shoulder,” Nakase instructed ESPN. “I felt like as a result of all of them had that, that will change into our commonplace. It wasn’t a couple of face or an elite participant.”
The necessity for connectivity is one thing Nakase realized throughout her time as an assistant coach within the NBA with the Lob Metropolis Los Angeles Clippers. That workforce featured Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, however misplaced within the first spherical of the 2017 NBA playoffs.
“I nonetheless speak to these guys and so they nonetheless say, ‘If we have been linked, if we had nice chemistry, what if?'” Nakase mentioned. “However we did not [have it]. … That is what I realized: You must be linked. If you happen to’re not linked and on the identical web page for these video games, it is not going to work.”
Nakase says the Valkyries haven’t got a face of the franchise, however all 12 gamers on the roster make up their id. Golden State middle Temi Fagbenle mentioned they’re a workforce made up of sixth girls. Thornton, who beforehand performed on the New York Liberty’s tremendous workforce with Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart that received the 2024 title, mentioned each member of the Valkyries has been ready for her alternative to shine.
They do not have a flashy roster filled with former lottery picks or all-league picks, however their selflessness has led to early success. The Valkyries have already received greater than twice as many video games because the final growth workforce, the Atlanta Dream, did of their debut season in 2008 (4), and greater than the Seattle Storm did (six) of their first season in 2000.
“We simply have loads of gamers that have been on completely different groups, had the success, however hadn’t actually been capable of flourish, to actually present themselves,” Thornton mentioned. “So to have the ability to now come collectively and put all of us who’ve been working onerous and ready for this sort of second, placing all of most of these ladies collectively, it makes one thing lovely.”
Thornton, in her tenth season, is a primary instance, going from a task participant with the Liberty to an All-Star with the Valkyries, the primary participant since 2006 to be chosen an All-Star from an growth franchise.
That quantity of buy-in — from the gamers, coaches and entrance workplace — was essential to be part of the Valkyries.
When normal supervisor Ohemaa Nyanin pitched Golden State to the gamers and employees she focused to construct this workforce, she made it clear they need to solely come to San Francisco in the event that they needed to be part of constructing one thing from scratch and will deal with the ups and downs that include it.
“If we are able to create one thing collectively, do not you need to be part of that? It’s worthwhile to be courageous in an entire lot of how to need to be part of one thing like that. There was no type of rose-colored glasses,” Nyanin instructed ESPN. “Oh, and by the best way, it is confirmed to be extraordinarily troublesome.”
However one other a part of Nyanin’s message landed effectively with the gamers.
“She instructed us, ‘We hand-picked every certainly one of you to set this up. You wouldn’t be right here if we did not suppose you have been up for the roles,'” 13-year WNBA veteran Tiffany Hayes mentioned.
As quickly because the gamers arrived at camp, Nakase instructed them that they might be “killers.” Their model of play would rely closely on their protection and the necessity to verify the opposition felt them on each single possession.
“Coach Natalie, when she must get on us, she will get on us,” Thornton mentioned. “She provides us probably the most confidence and that is what I respect about her. … She’s aggressive, she’s a canine. That is what we feed off of. Taking part in for her makes us need to play the sport.”
Nakase calls for a excessive stage of depth for 40 minutes, and in the course of the preseason, Thornton admitted that was a shift in mindset for her. Slowly it began to change into second nature, and the Valkyries consider it has made them aggressive in virtually each recreation they play. Golden State hasn’t misplaced a recreation by greater than 9 factors since June 5.
“After I watch movie and see gamers both diving on the ground, taking a cost, there’s solely a handful of gamers that try this within the W. And I virtually really feel like I’ve all 12 of them,” Nakase mentioned. “So with that, it is unteachable. I really feel like several time we do play, we are able to beat anybody with that sort of aggressive mindset.”
AS LACOB SAT on stage with WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, then-San Francisco Mayor London Breed and Warriors co-executive chairman Peter Guber in October 2023 when Golden State was awarded the franchise, Lacob proclaimed one thing Bay Space basketball followers have heard him say earlier than: “The aim is to win a championship in 5 years.”
That felt like a snug timeline to Lacob, however like lots of people, his expectations have been low for the inaugural season.
“I assumed we have been going to be a lottery workforce subsequent yr,” Lacob instructed ESPN as he erupted into laughter.
As an alternative, they’re in the course of the playoff race.
Nakase was additionally ready for this to be a yr spent studying from one another, determining the coachability of her gamers, as they achieve an understanding of what she desires from them. However Golden State is way previous constructing the muse.
“The way in which we gameplan, we are able to actually push that envelope,” Nakase mentioned. “We mentioned we actually needed to be the highest workforce in protection. OK, let’s preserve that going, let’s take that to a different stage. Let’s go now to particular person protection. Now we are able to do extra constructing, extra aim setting.”
And Lacob’s five-year aim continues for use as motivation to construct upon what they’ve completed to date.
“I do not give it some thought as a lot of a timeline as a lot as our North Star,” Nyanin mentioned. “Day by day you come into work and also you’re attempting to place collectively a championship product.
“The aim is a championship. OK, nice. Now how do you get there? And really candidly, you solely get there when you’ve got nice folks collectively and everybody has a standard aim that all of them need to get behind.”