Being drafted by the Golden State Valkyries in the 2025 WNBA Draft will likely not mean playing for one of the better teams in the league. While the Valkyries have some interesting players on the roster, they are no match for the New York Liberty, Minnesota Lynx, Indiana Fever, and Las Vegas Aces, even if they try their hardest. Landing with the Valkyries will have other perks for this year’s rookies, though.
For one, the Valkyries play in a big market and have incredibly modern facilities. Secondly, there will be plenty of developmental minutes available. After being picked fifth overall pick in the draft and becoming the Valkyries’ top selection, Juste Jocyte should have plenty of minutes waiting for her—if she comes to the WNBA right away, which seems very likely. Hunter Cruse noted a while ago that Jocyte told him that playing in the WNBA was a goal of hers but Kendra Andrews reported after the draft that “the timeline with Jocyte—getting her to the states—remains in flux.” However, this is likely because Jocyte’s team in France is still competing in the playoffs. Dominique Malonga is determined to finish the season with Lyon, and Jocyte likely is too.
If Jocyte spends significant time with the Valkyries this season, she could quickly be in the mix for a major rookie award.
Juste Jocyte could make some noise in the Rookie of the Year conversation
In the WNBA, the Rookie of the Year race is often not highly contested and the number one pick in that year’s draft tends to just run away with the award. Over 26 seasons, the award went to the number one pick 15 times. Only six players not drafted in the top four of the draft ever won the award, and Crystal Dangerfield, who won Rookie of the Year in 2020, is the only second-round pick on the list.
In each of the past three seasons, the award went to the number one pick—Rhyne Howard, Aliyah Boston, and Caitlin Clark. Boston even won unanimously and Clark’s only true challenger was Angel Reese.
While the season has not even started yet, it is easy to imagine that the 2025 Rookie of the Year race will have a similar outcome and see Paige Bueckers go home with the award. Bueckers is already a star, well-known in the basketball world, and will get a lot of opportunities to display her talents with the Dallas Wings. The team may even win a respectable number of games. So, everything is well set up for Bueckers to be named Rookie of the Year.
Jocyte could also enter the conversation, though. She may even end up being Bueckers’ only true challenger simply because of the opportunities that come with being a top pick playing for an expansion team in a big market. She will likely see a lot of minutes, take on a significant role, and get a chance to play through mistakes.
Other top picks may not be afforded the same luxury. The Seattle Storm drafted a projected future star in Dominique Malonga, but the Storm also want to win. After all, they still feature All-Star-level players, two of which play the same position as Malonga. So, she may not get the same opportunities as the Valkyries’ pick.
The Washington Mystics hoeld the other three top picks—numbers three, four, and six—and are expected to give their rookies plenty of opportunities. However, the Mystics will have to balance several high picks, which might make it difficult for one rookie to truly shine. While the Valkyries also have other young players coming into the WNBA, their first-round pick will likely be a focus. After all, the organization should want their first-ever draft pick to be a success.
Plus, Jocyte has the skills set and experience to succeed in the WNBA right away. She started playing professionally in Europe at 14 and has plenty of experience going up against WNBA stars such as DeWanna Bonner. So far, Jocyte has established herself as a talented scorer with a smooth jump shot and the ability to run pick-and-rolls to perfection. One of her best games this season was in Lithuania’s EuroBasket Qualifier game against Belgium. While her team lost, Jocyte put up 22 points, converting three of her six 3-point attempts, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals. She was one of the best players on the court.
With ample opportunities and a coaching staff focused on putting her in a position to succeed, Jocyte may end up being one of Bueckers’ biggest rivals in the Rookie of the Year race—even if Bueckers will still very likely win the award. Also keep an eye on Aneesah Morrow with the Connecticut Sun, though.