Seven Valkyries Drafted Top-20 in the WNBA Draft

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WNBA Golden State Valkyries

Seven Valkyries Drafted Top-20 in the WNBA Draft

April 7, 2025 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Golden State Valkyries News Release


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The Golden State Valkyries have the fifth pick in each of the three rounds of the 2025 Draft, Presented by CarMax. In previous years, each round has had 12 picks but this year there will be 13 picks in the second and third round to include the league's 13th team, the Valkyries. The Valkyries are slated to have two top-20 picks in the April 14th Draft and have seven players on their current roster were drafted within that range. Learn more about four Valkyries drafted in the top 20, including guard Veronica Burton, guard Tiffany Hayes, forward Monique Billings and guard Kate Martin.

Veronica Burton (7th overall 2022 Draft)

Veronica Burton is the highest-drafted player on the Valkyries' roster, selected with the seventh overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft. Burton was drafted to the Dallas Wings, having played her college ball at Northwestern University. She led her conference in steals per game in all four years at Northwestern while being named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year three times. She averaged 13.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game in college. Over three seasons in the WNBA, Burton has made her mark on the defensive end while excelling at the free-throw line (91.3 FT%).

Laeticia Amihere (8th overall, 2023 Draft)

Laeticia Amihere was drafted eighth overall in the 2023 WNBA Draft from the University of South Carolina. The 6'4 forward averaged 6.3 points per game at South Carolina and captured a National Championship in her junior year. Amihere appeared in three Final Fours in her tenure and ranked top-15 in the SEC in blocks as a senior. Drafted to the Atlanta Dream, Amihere has averaged 2.0 points and 1.3 rebounds in two seasons.

Carla Leite (9th overall, 2024 Draft)

Carla Leite took a unique route to the league compared to many of her Valkyrie teammates, playing overseas before (and after) her ninth overall selection in the 2024 Draft. Leite played the LFB, France's top women's league, beginning at age 18. She was named the league's best young player as a rookie and made an all-star team by year two. Drafted by the Dallas Wings, Leite didn't play a game with the franchise, playing for a French women's basketball club, Villeneuve d' Ascq LM instead. In 2025, she led the team to a EuroCup championship and was named Finals MVP.

Tiffany Hayes (14th overall 2012 Draft)

Tiffany Hayes has been considered one of the biggest steals in WNBA Draft history by many draft evaluators, significantly outperforming her 14th overall draft slot in 2012. Hayes was incredibly successful in college too, winning two NCAA Championships in four seasons at UConn. She averaged 11.7 points per game in college, reaching as high as 19.5 points per game in her senior year. Hayes received three All-Big East nods. Having just concluded her 12th WNBA season, Hayes was named 2024 Sixth Woman of the Year. She has also made an all-star team, All-NBA team and All-Defensive team in her career. Her career scoring average is even higher than college at 13.2 points per game.

Monique Billings (15th overall, 2018 Draft)

Monique Billings had a remarkable run with UCLA before being drafted 15th overall by the Atlanta Dream in the 2019 WNBA Draft. Billings is UCLA's all-time leader in blocks (228), ranks second in total rebounds (1,159) and 10th in points (1,761). She received two All-PAC-12 honors in four years, establishing herself as one of the best players in a talented conference. Billings has played seven WNBA seasons, averaging 6.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.

Elissa Cunane (17th overall, 2022 Draft)

Elissa Cunane was selected with a pick the Valkyries own in this year's draft, taken 17th overall in the 2022 Draft by the Seattle Storm. Cunane is a 6'5 center from North Carolina State, where she averaged 14.8 points and 7.9 rebounds on 54.0 percent from the field and 41.1 percent from three. She was named to three All-ACC teams in her tenure. Cunane has played three WNBA games so far, averaging 0.7 points and 1.7 rebounds in 3.3 minutes per game.

Kate Martin (18th overall, 2024 Draft)

Kate Martin is the most recent second round draftee on the Valkyries' roster, selected 18th overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft from the University of Iowa. Martin helped Iowa to back-to-back National Championship game appearances for the first time in school history. Her final season was easily her most productive, as she averaged double figures for the first time (13.1 PPG) and made the All Big-10 second team. In her rookie campaign with the Las Vegas Aces, Martin served as a spark plug off the bench, with her impact on games not always showing up on the stat sheet - she averaged 2.6 points per game over 34 games.

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