Expansion Valkyries are “open for business” once the WNBA enters free agency

Ohemaa Nyanin, General Manager of the Valkyries, was finally able to relax on Friday – at least for the night.

After months of preparation, Golden State, the WNBA’s 13th franchise, has completed the league’s first expansion draft since 2008, selecting 11 players from the 12 current teams to be added to its inaugural 2025 roster.

It’s certainly a starting point.

But there is still a lot to do.

Kayla Thornton, Kate Martin and Stephanie Talbot are the only players selected by the Valkyries with contracts through at least next season.

That gives Golden State plenty of flexibility for the next phase of roster construction: free agency.

The Valkyries have a league-high more than $1.2 million in available salary cap space, meaning they should be active in free agency.

“We are open for business,” Nyanin said Friday after the draft. “We are willing to talk to anyone who would like to talk to us about taking part in this trip. We’re just really excited about the opportunity to welcome these free agents and also these college athletes and we just wanted to give ourselves as much flexibility to sign athletes in the near future.”

Nneka Ogwumike, Kelsey Plum and Alyssa Thomas will be among the most sought-after free agents on the market starting January 21, when teams can officially begin negotiating future free agent contracts.

Contracts cannot be signed until February 1st.

The Valkyries also have the No. 5 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft.

Preview of the Valkyries squad now

When Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase spoke to Nyanin about the type of players she wanted, Thornton was one of the first names that came to mind.

“She is a defensive specialist. She has developed her game to be able to shoot three-pointers. She’s a ball of energy,” Nyanin said of Thornton. “She knows how to bring people together and I’m really excited.”

New York was the “difficult choice” for Nyanin due to her familiarity with the team.

As much as Nyanin said she was excited, she was also nervous.

There are many unknowns when it comes to the expansion draft process.

Unlike a normal draft, the Valkyries couldn’t invite players to training sessions or interviews to get a better feel for the person.

Overall, though, Nyanin is happy with Golden State’s start.

She believes they have a “competitive” squad with players who want to win.