Kate Martin is among the many greater names on the Golden State Valkyries’ first roster.
The Las Vegas Aces fan favourite was among the many alternatives in Friday’s 2025 WNBA growth draft, joined by a gaggle of 10 different gamers their groups selected to not shield. The full checklist of the Valkyries’ alternatives, as introduced by golfer Michelle Wie West, rapper E-40 and former Golden State Warriors participant Baron Davis:
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Iliana Rupert, Atlanta Dream
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María Conde, Chicago Sky
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Veronica Burton, Connecticut Sun
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Carla Leite, Dallas Wings
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Temi Fagbenle, Indiana Fever
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Kate Martin, Las Vegas Aces
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Stephanie Talbot, Los Angeles Sparks
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Cecilia Zandalasini, Minnesota Lynx
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Kayla Thornton, New York Liberty
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Monique Billings, Phoenix Mercury
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Julie Vanloo, Washington Mystics
The Valkyries didn’t choose a participant from the Seattle Storm. They additionally maintain the fifth general choose within the 2025 WNBA Draft, together with plentiful cap house to signal free brokers. Natalie Nakase has already been introduced because the franchise’s first head coach.
The guidelines of the WNBA growth draft allowed every of the league’s 12 groups to guard as much as six gamers on their roster as of the ultimate day of the 2024 common season. Athletes with earlier core participant designations, akin to DeWanna Bonner and Brittney Griner, have been additionally ineligible to be chosen. The Valkyries have been then allowed to decide on one unprotected participant from every workforce, however just one unrestricted free agent complete.
Here’s extra on every of the gamers chosen:
Kate Martin
Martin being chosen means the Aces opted to not shield her, which is not a lot of a shock given how they used her towards the top of final season. The 18th general choose of the 2024 WNBA Draft out of Iowa was a nice shock early within the season when Vegas was combating accidents, however her taking part in time plummeted because the workforce bought wholesome.
After seeing double-digit minutes in 16 of the Aces’ first 21 video games, Martin cracked that threshold solely twice in her closing 13, additionally lacking a bit of time in July and August with a decrease leg harm. The collegiate teammate of star Caitlin Clark noticed a grand complete of three minutes within the postseason.
“This league is all about alternative,” Martin advised ESPN after her choice. “I’m very grateful for the Aces and all the things I bought to be taught there, however I’m actually excited for this new starting and to construct one thing from the bottom up with the Valkyries.”
Martin additionally joins the Valkyries having already performed below Nakase, who was an assistant with the Aces for the final three seasons.
Iliana Rupert
The French middle was chosen by the Aces out of the French basketball league in 2021. She earned a WNBA championship in 2022, her solely season with the workforce. Rupert then performed with Atlanta in 2023, taking part in in 20 video games that season. She didn’t play within the 2024 WNBA season, and at present performs within the Turkish basketball league.
María Conde
Conde, a Spanish ahead, was drafted by the Sky in 2019. However, she has by no means performed within the WNBA, opting as an alternative to remain in Europe. Since being drafted by the Sky, Conde has performed in Spain, Poland and Czechia, however has by no means made it to the States; it’s unclear whether or not she intends to come back again and play for Golden State, or whether or not the Valkyries will merely maintain her rights.
Veronica Burton
One of the Valkyries’ youthful gamers, the 24-year-old level Burton was drafted seventh general by the Wings in 2022 and might be getting into her fourth 12 months within the league. The guard was a three-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year whereas at Northwestern, and was a third-team All-American in her senior 12 months. Burton performed in 31 video games for the Sun final season as a backup level guard.
Carla Leite
The 20-year-old French guard has but to play in a WNBA recreation. Leite, who signed her first professional contract at age 18, was chosen ninth general by the Wings within the 2024 Draft, however opted to remain in France. Leite was on the quick checklist to play for France on the 2024 Paris Olympics, however didn’t make the ultimate roster.
Temi Fagbenle
Fagbenle is a 32-year-old veteran with expertise within the WNBA and overseas. After taking part in with the Lynx from 2017-2019, she crossed the Atlantic to play in Spain, Italy, Turkey, Czechia and England earlier than touchdown with Indiana final season.
She appeared 22 video games off the bench for the Fever, averaging 6.4 factors per recreation and displaying stable chemistry with Caitlin Clark.
Stephanie Talbot
The Australian nationwide is coming off a career-worst season in nearly all the things for the Sparks, which was additionally her first 12 months again from a torn ACL. Golden State might be betting on a bounce again for the frontcourt veteran.
Cecilia Zandalasini
Another European acquisition might be a 28-year-old Italian ahead. Zandalasini joined the Lynx in 2024, marking her second stint with the workforce after taking part in in Minnesota from 2017-2018 and taking part in in Turkey and Italy in between. Zandalasini performed in all 40 video games for the Lynx off the bench, averaging 4.6 factors per recreation and 1.1 assists. She received a WNBA Championship with the Lynx in 2017, throughout her first stint, and performed in 11 of the workforce’s 12 postseason matches this season.
Kayla Thornton
Thornton will be part of the growth workforce as an WNBA champion, having performed all 40 regular-season video games and 11 postseason video games for the Liberty final season. She was well-liked in New York and is now on her fourth WNBA workforce, having been drafted by the Mystics and performed six seasons with the Wings.
Monique Billings
It’s been fairly a trip for Billings, who spent the primary six seasons of her profession with the Atlanta Dream. She joined the Sparks on a hardship contract final offseason, bought reduce throughout coaching camp, joined the Wings on one other hardship contract, bought launched, landed with the Mercury on a seven-day contract and ended up ending out the season in Phoenix. She is the lone unrestricted free agent to be chosen.
Julie Vanloo
Vanloo entered the WNBA on the age of 31 final season after greater than a decade as knowledgeable within the worldwide leagues. Her “rookie” season was general a hit, main the Mystics in assists per recreation (4.3) whereas offering taking pictures from the perimeter. She’s the early favourite to begin at level guard for Golden State.
