Sky Face Valkyries for First-Ever Matchup

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WNBA Chicago Sky

Sky Face Valkyries for First-Ever Matchup

June 27, 2025 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Chicago Sky News Release


Chicago will begin its four-game road trip at Golden State on Friday, June 27 at 9 p.m. CT. The matchup will be the first-ever meeting between the two teams as the Valkyries are in their first season in the WNBA as an expansion team.

Golden State is led by two experienced players in Kayla Thornton and Veronica Burton who were both picked up by the Valkyries in the 2025 WNBA Expansion Draft. Thornton, a WNBA Champion last season with the Liberty, leads the team in points averaging 14.9 per game, along with 7.1 rebounds and 1.7 steals. Burton, who was drafted from the Sun after playing college basketball at Northwestern in Evanston, IL, averages 10.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game.

In the offseason the Valkyries signed 12-year veteran and 2024 Sixth Woman of the Year Tiffany Hayes, who has averaged 11.9 points and 2.1 assists per game this season.

The Valkyries and their inaugural head coach Natalie Nakase have a respectable record of 7-7, despite their roster going through multiple changes in the month of June. Golden State has six players that are unavailable due to competing in the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket tournament.

The team has since signed Laeticia Amihere, Chloe Bibby, Bree Hall and rookie Kaitlyn Chen, who the team drafted in the third round of this year's draft. Amihere and Bibby have been impactful off the bench as Amihere averages 8.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, while Bibby averages 8.7 points and shoots 42.9% from three-point.

Both the Sky and Valkyries rely on their benches for production as Chicago is second in the league in points off the bench with 25.9 and the Valkyries are third with 25.8 points per game.

As Chicago will look to get its second straight win, one area that could work in favor for the Sky is Golden State's shooting struggles. The Valkyries are ranked last in three-point percentage, shooting just 28.1% from beyond the arc. Their 39.7% field goal average is ranked second to last in the league.

The Sky's offense has improved recently as Chicago has scored more than 80 points for three straight games, above their average of 77.9 points per game. The Sky's shooting percentage has also improved as the team has averaged 47.1% from the field over the past four games.

Ariel Atkins has continued to produce for the Sky as she has increased her points per game to 13.9 points along with 3.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists. Angel Reese and her dominance on the glass has been key, as Reese had another double-double in the Sky's win over the Sparks with 18 points and 17 rebounds.

What to watch for the Sky: How they adjust to Kamilla Cardoso's absence.

Cardoso will be out as she competes for Brazilian National Team in the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup. Cardoso has stepped up in recent games, most recently scoring a career-high 27 points over the Sparks. On the season Cardoso averages 12.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, while shooting a team-high 56.1% from the field.

Cardoso's absence could give Elizabeth Williams, Michaela Onyenwere and Maddy Westbeld more minutes on the floor. The smaller lineup could see the Sky rely more on the mid-range game, which could benefit Reese as she continues to be a facilitator.

Williams has been impactful off the bench as she averages 7.1 points and 3.6 rebounds on 47.7% shooting. Onyenwere has seen limited minutes this season, but has been efficient most recently scoring 17 points in 24 minutes against Phoenix on June 21. Westbeld offers versatility as a forward who can also shoot from three, as she averages 33.3% from beyond the arc.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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