At long last, the Golden State Valkyries will finally play the team's first-ever WNBA game. The Valkyries face off against the Los Angeles Sparks at Chase Center Tuesday night at 7pm PST.
There will be a lot going on this evening, especially as the Valkyries will get a taste of how the team will truly fit into the league once the game begins. But there are three key things fans should really pay attention to: the team's starting five, who makes up the group of back-up players, and the team's pacing.
The Valkyries have a lot of key players hitting the court tonight
The team hasn't announced its starting rotation just yet, but we anticipate the starting five will be Tiffany Hayes (SG), Julie Vanloo (PG), Kayla Thornton (SF), Monique Billings (PF), and Temi Fagbenle (C). Fagbenle in particular will be a player to pay attention to, especially since Coach Natalie Nakase made it clear last week the team will be calling upon her to play a little differently than she has in the past.
Part of that means emphasizing Fagbenle's offensive skills first, which includes her shooting capabilities as well as dominating the post. The team isn't known for their size, and at 6'4" Fagbenle will likely adjust to playing as a stretch big. Nakase also emphasized that the team is prioritizing shootings 3s, which hasn't always been Fagbenle's strongest skill — and it will be exciting to see how that skill is utilized and maximized across the team, from Fagbenle and from others.
The second rotation will be just as important
The team's second unit of players is almost as compelling as its first, and special attention should be paid attention to how Carla Leite and Veronica Burton compete for the back-up point guard role, how Kate Martin might jump in as back-up for Tiffany Hayes, and what kind of job Stephanie Talbot does as back-up for Billings and Fagbenle.
During training camp Martin alluded to potentially playing as a kind of Sixth Woman for the team and providing Hayes with breaks as needed throughout games. The role works for the young hooper, who has both the fan base to put people in seats but also still has plenty to learn. If their social media antics are any indication, Martin and Hayes are close; it's likely the veteran guard is giving her younger counterpart every bit of information she can as the pair head into the team's inaugural season in the league.
Pacing is everything for the Valkyries
It's also worth keeping tabs on the team's pacing, especially since Nakase has made it clear she wants the team to play quickly — but that speed might not come all at once, right out of the gate. In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle published on May 5, Nakase clarified that speed does matter, but it might not immediately be a priority for the team. "It’s not actually about playing fast, it’s about playing at our pace. We’re still finding that, and it will take time, especially with players arriving at different times. … So I’m not putting pressure on what fast means," she explained.
Pacing will be crucial for the team to master since half the players on the court have WNBA experience and the other half have never played in the league — communication and leadership are going to be key elements if the team wants to be successful this season. The Valkyries have a wealth of veteran knowledge on the court, so now it's time to see how that all translates when it's time to actually hoop.