As the WNBA playoffs near, here’s an update on the good, the bad and the ugly in professional women’s basketball.
The good: Chances are high that the Golden State Valkyries, the team without a superstar, will become the first WNBA expansion team to make the playoffs. The team’s marketing strategy from day one was incredibly successful, featuring a dynamic purple logo and creative partnerships negotiated without any players and simply riding on the popularity of women’s basketball. With more than 10,000 season ticket holders, the team regularly sells out Chase Arena, which is also the home of the Golden State Warriors.
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Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase is a top candidate for WNBA coach of the year. She lost her best player, Kayla Thornton, early in the season. But the solid lineup of the Valkyries is very tough to defend and they play cohesive defense.
Four different players are averaging double digits in scoring: Veronica Burton (12.0), Tiffany Hayes (11.7), Cecilia Zandalasini (11.2) and Janelle Salaün (10.8). And they are deadly from 3-point range, with Burton, Kate Martin off the bench and Salaün leading the team. Iliana Rupert’s 3-point percentage is at 45.7 percent and four other players are at or above the 40 percent mark. The team leads the league in 3-pointers made.
“I hand-picked players that are extremely competitive,” Nakase told Dwayne Wade on his podcast early in the season. “We have to be connected both offensively and defensively. The more we communicate, the better we are going to be connected.”
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She talked to Wade about the upcoming long season and said consistency would be the key to a successful franchise debut.
“However I can motivate, support and encourage my players to be consistent, I think that is going to be key,” she said, noting how tough it is to perform nightly during a 44-game season.
Sitting with his co-hosts — NBA skills trainer Chris Johnson and 2006 NBA Champion Dorell Wright — Wade predicted Nakase would become one of the future great coaches in the WNBA.
Nakase spent a decade in the NBA and was an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers. In 2022, she was hired as an assistant coach in the WNBA under Becky Hammon, and they led the Las Vegas Aces to the first back-to-back WNBA championships in 21 years. She has a mentor in Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue, who watches the Valkyries games and is “a phone call away.”
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The bad: The Valkyries won’t have a home floor for the opening round of the playoffs. This year, the WNBA adopted a 1-1-1 format for the best-of-three first round. The Chase Center is hosting an international tennis tournament from September 19 to 21. Nicknamed “Ballhalla” during Valkyries games — a reference to Valhalla in Norse mythology, where Valkyries bring select fallen warriors — the court has become a sixth man for one of the league’s most exciting teams.
It appears that Caitlin Clark will return soon. Her nagging injuries — which have absolutely nothing to do with bad refereeing and/or physical play in the women’s professional game — started in the pre-season with a sore quadriceps muscle. She is still recovering from a July 15 right groin injury. Coach Stephanie White said on Tuesday that Clark has not been cleared for contact and remains limited to non-contact drills and individual work. On Thursday, the team announced Clark is not going to play against the Chicago Sky on Friday.
The ugly: The New York Liberty are playing terrible basketball right now. The Liberty have lost four of their past six games, despite a terrific start to the season. They certainly don’t look strong trying to defend their 2024 title. Injuries have played a significant role; just as Brianna Stewart returned to the lineup, Sabrina Ionescu went down with a left big toe injury. Nyara Sabally is also sidelined. The Liberty have had their full roster for only two games this season — the first and second games — and have used 16 starting lineups.
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The last-place Dallas Wings have the best odds to grab the 2026 overall No. 1 draft pick, according to a report from Claire Watkins at Just Women’s Sports. UConn superstar Paige Bueckers’ team now has a 40 percent chance of winning first dibs via the 2026 lottery, as well as a near-30 percent shot at snagging the No. 2 or No. 3 pick. One bright spot on the season: Bueckers is on pace to earn Rookie of the Year.
Sep 5, 2025
Freelance Columnist
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