Golden State Valkyries Clinch Postseason Berth; Become First-Ever WNBA Expansion Franchise to Reach Playoffs in Inaugural Season
WNBA Golden State Valkyries

Golden State Valkyries Clinch Postseason Berth; Become First-Ever WNBA Expansion Franchise to Reach Playoffs in Inaugural Season

Published on September 5, 2025 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Golden State Valkyries News Release


OAKLAND, Calif. - The Golden State Valkyries (23-18) made WNBA history Thursday night, becoming the first-ever expansion franchise to reach the playoffs in their inaugural season with their victory over the Dallas Wings at Chase Center.

The Valkyries debut campaign has seen them set the WNBA record for most wins by an expansion team (23 and counting) while selling out all 21 home games. The 18,064 average attendance is highest in the history of the WNBA.

Head Coach Natalie Nakase earned Coach of the Month honors in June, while forward Kayla Thornton was named Western Conference Player of the Week and represented the Valkyries at the 2025 All-Star Game.

With the playoff berth secured, the Valkyries announced their First Round home game, presented by Kaiser Permanente, will be played at SAP Center in San Jose due to a pre-existing scheduling conflict at Chase Center. The First Round of the playoffs begins September 14, with the higher seed hosting Game 1. Based on current standings, the Valkyries will travel for the first game and host the second game at SAP Center on either September 16 or 17.

The Laver Cup, a prestigious international tennis tournament that has been hosted in Berlin, Vancouver, London and Boston in recent years, was booked at Chase Center in 2023 before the Bay Area was awarded a WNBA team. The organization explored every possible option to host its first round Playoff game at Chase Center, but SAP Center emerged as the right fit for this historic event. Golden State vetted several venues, including Oakland Arena which had a scheduling conflict due to a property-wide private event, and is thrilled to partner with SAP Center for the First Round game, presented by Kaiser Permanente.

"This has been a season of defying expectations, and our fans have been the driving force behind every milestone we've achieved," said Jess Smith, President of the Golden State Valkyries. "While we would have loved to host our first playoff game at Chase Center and sought every opportunity to try and make that happen, Ballhalla has never been about just one building - it's about the incredible community our fans have created. We're confident that same energy will translate to San Jose."

The franchise's success has resonated throughout the Bay Area sports landscape. The Valkyries have established partnerships with major brands including Sephora as naming rights partner for their Oakland performance center, while their merchandise has been sold in all 50 states and over 70 countries since the team name and logo were announced.

"Our fans have been the heart of our success this year, selling out every game and creating an electric atmosphere," said Joe Lacob, Co-Chairman & CEO of the Golden State Valkyries. "They've earned the right to see playoff basketball, and we're going to make sure SAP Center feels like home for them."

The organization will share additional details and ticket information for t he Valkyries inaugural 2025 season playoffs, presented by Kaiser Permanente in the coming week.

For more information on the Valkyries 2025 season, presented by Kaiser Permanente, please visit valkyries.com.

Check out the Golden State Valkyries Statistics

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