Projected Golden State Valkyries starting lineup + depth chart after the WNBA Expansion Draft

New York Liberty v Washington Mystics
New York Liberty v Washington Mystics | Scott Taetsch/GettyImages

The 2024 Expansion Draft is over, and the Golden State Valkyries have made their official selections. The team and its fans can now shift their focus to the 2025 season, which means it's (finally!) time to start talking starting lineups and rosters.

Ahead of the draft Coach Natalie Nakase told ESPN's Chiney Ogwumike that a Valkyries player will first and foremost be "competitive." With the roster the team selected, it certainly looks like that is the case.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the night was the drafting of Temi Fagbenle, formerly of the Indiana Fever. Fagbenle previously played with the Lynx from 2017-19 before she returned to the league to join the Fever in 2024. Many assumed the center was a lock for the team's list of protected six, and a lot of Fever fans expressed their displeasure about the loss on social media.

"Temi Fagbenle is a Golden State Valkyrie," the Caitlin Clark fan account Clark Report tweeted on X, formerly Twitter. "Wow."

The Valkyries also chose several players who either came to the WNBA from overseas or who were drafted by WNBA teams but haven't yet played in the States. It's an interesting decision that will likely bring in an increased international fanbase, especially considering that this includes nearly half the team (and a city like San Francisco is inclined to embrace players from overseas as much as players from the United States). The international additions to the Valkyries are Rupert (France), Conde (Spain), Vanloo (Belgium), Leite (France), and Zandalasini (Italy).

Golden State Valkyries roster

Player name

Previous team

Position

Iliana Rupert

Atlanta Dream

Center

Maria Conde

Chicago Sky

Forward

Veronica Burton

Connecticut Sun

Guard

Temi Fagbenle

Indiana Fever

Center

Kayla Thornton

New York Liberty

Forward

Julie Vanloo

Washington Mystics

Guard

Carla Leite

Dallas Wings

Guard

Stephanie Talbot

Los Angeles Sparks

Forward

Cecilia Zandalasini

Minnesota Lynx

Forward

Kate Martin

Las Vegas Aces

Guard

Monique Billings

Phoenix Mercury

Forward

Golden State Valkyries potential starting lineup

The Valkyries are entering the 2025 season with an impressive roster and there's a lot of potential for a strong starting five. The upcoming draft could change things around a little, but if this was the final team heading into the 2025 season, it's likely the starting five will be Fagbenle, Martin, Vanloo, Billings, and Thornton.

Having said that, it's not quite time to set that starting five in stone. Trade discussions that will begin next year coupled with the 2025 league-wide draft will give the team a few more opportunities to bring more players on board, which could shift the list of starters and the bench as we know them now.

Golden State Valkyries depth chart

Position

Starter

Bench

Point guard

Julie Vanloo

Carla Leite

Shooting guard

Kate Martin

Veronica Burton

Small forward

Kayla Thornton

Stephanie Talbot/Maria Conde

Power forward

Temi Fagbenle

Cecilia Zandalasini

Center

Monique Billings

Iliana Rupert

Now that the initial roster selection is complete, the real work begins. The Valkyries will now have a little over five months to continue building the foundation for an exciting first season in the WNBA.