The Golden State Valkyries had some important decisions to make this offseason. They had to pick a head coach, fill out the roster for their inaugural season, and make their first-ever draft selections. With the season coming closer, the decisions are not getting any easier. The Valkyries still have to finalize their roster and establish their identity on the court.
Some of the Valkyries’ decisions have already drawn significant criticism, but the organization cannot allow that to distract them from what really matters. Fans disliking what they are doing is something the Valkyries will simply have to get used to.
The Valkyries’ team-building strategy has drawn some criticism
The Valkyries built their first-ever roster largely through the expansion draft and free agency. In the process, they were not able to attract many big-time WNBA players but scooped up some of the top young talent in Europe. Juste Jocyte, Carla Leite, and Janelle Salaün, for example, have all shown immense potential playing in Europe and will now get a first shot at the WNBA with the Valkyries.
Trusting in that international talent to be impactful in the Valkyries’ inaugural season came at the expense of some domestic players. Shyanne Sellers, the Valkyries’ second-round pick out of Maryland, was cut before even playing a preseason game.
The move was not well received, sparking a discussion about the Valkyries’ team-building strategy. Certain fans felt that, as the WNBA’s newest team, the Valkyries had a responsibility to create roster spots for U.S. American players rather than giving them to international players.
The Valkyries will have to get used to having a lot of eyes on them
Though the newest team in the WNBA, the Valkyries managed to attract a sizeable fanbase and lots of attention before even playing a single game. The reasons for that are simple: Fans have been waiting for an expansion team for quite some time now, the Valkyries play in a big market shaped by the Golden State Warriors’ success in the NBA, and their marketing team was incredibly successful at branding the new franchise. The team’s name, colors, logo, and modern facilities quickly drew fans in.
Being a team in a big market while women’s basketball is on the rise means that the Valkyries will have a lot of eyes on them. That means there will always be certain people who do not agree with the team’s decisions and most of them will be vocal on social media.
That is not something the Valkyries can avoid, and the attention will only increase once the season actually starts. The Valkyries will have to learn to live with that and not let it affect their decisions.