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‘Lucky 13’ fits the Golden State Valkyries as they debut in the WNBA. Expectations are low from oddsmakers, but could a surprise be in store?
Time to Shine
What is a valkyrie, and why should this readership care? According to the always-dependable internet, “valkyrie” is defined as “chooser of the slain, a female figure who guides the souls of the dead to the god Odin’s hall, Valhalla.”
Glad you asked?
In the world of the WNBA, which begins a 29th season at the time of this writing, it’s the Golden State Valkyries, who debut as the league’s 13th team starting this evening (Friday, May 16th) at home against the Los Angeles Sparks.
While the Valkyries share the same arena as the NBA’s Warriors, that’s where the similarities end, however. The team is a home underdog in its opener against an LA team that was 8-32 last season, the league’s worst record.
Golden State is lottery-esque 350-1 (+35000) to win the title, far and away the longest shot on the board. It is also 20-1 (+2000) just to make the postseason, and plus-money against every opponent in the category of ‘first win,’ according to WNBA odds.
Put into perspective, the defending-champion New York Liberty are 9-4 (+225) to repeat, with the Indiana Fever and Las Vegas Aces at 13-4 (+325). The Minnesota Lynx are 4-1 (+400) on the board.
Natalie Nakase, the first Asian-American coach in the league, coaches the team, and the roster is composed essentially of players selected in the expansion draft. There weren’t any major free-agent signings, so the Valkyries appear to be an expansion team in the truest sense of the term.
Such is the state of the nascent Valkyries, embarking on their 44-WNBA games ‘freshman’ season, trying to be one of the eight playoff teams in the league.
Here’s a bit of a primer on the Golden State Valkyries, joining the WNBA in the 2025 season…
Who Is the New WNBA Team in 2025?
Welcome the Golden State Valkyries to the WNBA, the 13th team in a league that is going to expand even more in the next few seasons. There aren’t divisions, so 1-through-13 when the WNBA standings are listed.
Where Do the Golden State Valkyries Play?
Chase Center in San Francisco, home of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, is also where the Golden State Valkyries are playing their WNBA games. The team opens its schedule with two home games (Los Angeles Sparks and Washington Mystics) before a three-game road trip, the final two at the aforementioned league-champion New York Liberty.
Who Owns the Golden State Valkyries?
The same ownership as the Warriors, Joe Lacob and Peter Guber, owns the Valkyries WNBA.
How Will the Golden State Valkyries Get Players?
It was at the end of 2024 (Dec 6th, to be exact) when the WNBA held an expansion draft to ‘stock the shelves’ of the expansion Golden State Valkyries. The team chose 11 players among those left unprotected by the other dozen clubs in the WNBA.
Any Final Thoughts?
Those who watch, wager, or both on WNBA scores probably should not expect all that much out of the first-season Golden State Valkyries in 2025. It will be intriguing, however, to see if the team can exceed expectations against the spread. It’s not far-fetched to think the ladies of the Bay are going to be (many times sizable) underdogs in all 44 games this season, but how many times can they ‘beat the board?’.
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