Valkyries 2026 Roster Preview
Published on May 7, 2026 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Golden State Valkyries News Release
The Valkyries enter the 2026 season with a roster featuring multiple All-Stars and multiple WNBA champions, adding one of each this offseason. Read below for a breakdown of each player heading into the season.
Veronica Burton
Year 5
Position: Guard
Major accolade: 2025 Most Improved Player
Compelling Note: Burton was the only WNBA player to lead her team in total points (525), rebounds (192), assists (265), steals (50) and blocks (27) last season.
Gabby Williams
Year 8
Position: Forward
Major accolades: 2025 All-Star, All-Defensive First Team and Steals Champion
Compelling Note: Williams' 99 steals in 2025 were by far the most in the league that season, 30 more than the next closest player. Williams is tied for the second-most steals in a season in WNBA history, only trailing Hall of Famer Teresa Weatherspoon's 100 steals in 1998.
Kayla Thornton
Year 11
Position: Forward
Major accolade: 2025 All-Star
Compelling Note: Thornton scored the first regular-season basket in franchise history, became the first Valkyrie to win a Player of the Week and became their first-ever All-Star. She is the first WNBA player to be named an All-Star since 2019.
Janelle Salaün
Year 2
Position: Forward
Major accolade: All-Rookie Team
Compelling Note: Salaün leads the Valkyries in career 3-pointers (63) and is second in total points (407). She ranked fourth among WNBA rookies in scoring (11.3 PPG) and third in rebounding (5.1 RPG).
Tiffany Hayes
Year 14
Position: Guard
Major accolades: 1x All-Star, All-WNBA, All-Defensive Team and Sixth Player of the Year
Compelling Note: Hayes moved to 31st on the WNBA's all-time scoring list this past season (4,296 career points) and averaged double-digit points for her 11th season (11.7 PPG).
Cecilia Zandalasini
Year 5
Position: Forward
Major accolade: 2017 WNBA Champion
Compelling Note: Zandalasini ranked seventh in the league in 3-point percentage last season, shooting 40.7 percent on a career-high 4.8 attempts per game.
Iliana Rupert
Year 4
Position: Center
Major accolade: 2022 WNBA Champion
Compelling Note: Rupert ranked second in the WNBA in 3-point percentage last season (44.2 3PT%) and was the only Valkyrie to make at least two 3-pointers per game (2.2 3PM).
Kaila Charles
Year 6
Position: Guard/Forward
Compelling Note: Charles averaged a career-best 7.4 in 18 games with the Valkyries last season.
Kiah Stokes
Year 11
Position: Center
Major accolade: 3x WNBA Champion, 1x All-Defense
Compelling Note: Only one active WNBA player has more championships than Stokes won with the Las Vegas Aces and it's her former teammate Chelsey Gray, who also won with the Los Angeles Sparks in 2016.
Justė Jocytė
Year 1
Position: Guard/Forward
Compelling Note: Jocytė was the Valkyries' first-ever draft pick, selected fifth overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft. Jocytė spent the 2025 season playing in the EuroLeague overseas.
Kaitlyn Chen
Year 2
Position: Guard
Compelling Note: Chen became the first player of Taiwanese descent to play in the WNBA, playing 24 games in her rookie season. Chen played a team-high 29 minutes in the team's lone preseason game, scoring 11 points and dishing out three assists.
Laeticia Amihere
Year 2
Position: Forward
Compelling Note: Amihere averaged a career-high 5.4 points over 29 games in her third WNBA season, increasing her efficiency to career-best levels across the board.
Miela Sowah
Year 1
Position: Guard
Compelling Note: Sowah recently helped the Townsville Fire win the 2026 WNBL title. Then, Sowah thrived in the preseason, tying Veronica Burton for a team-high 14 points, making all four of her 3-point attempts and shooting 5-for-6 overall from the field.
Women's National Basketball Association Stories from May 7, 2026
- Sky Open Season on Road against Portland, First-Ever Matchup Between Teams - Chicago Sky
- Natalie Nakase Named USA Basketball Assistant Coach for 2026 FIBA Women's World Cup - Golden State Valkyries
- Phoenix Mercury Set 2026 Roster - Phoenix Mercury
- Mystics Announce 2026 Opening Night Roster - Washington Mystics
- Valkyries 2026 Roster Preview - Golden State Valkyries
- Connecticut Sun at New York Liberty (Game #1) - Connecticut Sun
- Storm Sets Roster for 2026 Season Opener - Seattle Storm
- Atlanta Dream Announce 2026 Roster - Atlanta Dream
- New York Liberty Announce 2026 Roster - New York Liberty
- Connecticut Sun Finalizes 2026 Opening Day Roster - Connecticut Sun
- Dallas Wings Finalize 2026 Opening Day Roster - Dallas Wings
- WNBA Names Five New Referees to 2026 Officiating Staff - WNBA
- Toronto Tempo Announce 2026 Opening Day Roster - Toronto Tempo
- Phoenix Mercury Sign Shay Ciezki to Developmental Contract - Phoenix Mercury
- Valkyries Announce Series of Activations and Events Surrounding Opening Weekend - Golden State Valkyries
- Washington Mystics Sign Alicia Flórez to Developmental Contract - Washington Mystics
- RCA Returns Home to Indiana as New Partner of the Indiana Fever - Indiana Fever
- Portland Fire Announce Partnership with Spirit Mountain Casino - Portland Fire
- Chicago Sky Announce 2026 Opening Night Roster - Chicago Sky
- Chicago Sky Sign Maddy Westbeld, Aicha Coulibaly to Developmental Contracts - Chicago Sky
- USA Basketball Announces Women's National Team Assistant Coaches for 2026 FIBA Women's World Cup - Golden State Valkyries
- Golden State Valkyries Announce Final 2026 Roster - Golden State Valkyries
- WNBA and Aws Announce Multi-Year Partnership to Drive Fan Engagement, Innovation and Growth - WNBA
- Atlanta Dream Partners with Victory+ to Stream All Locally Broadcast Games for Free - Atlanta Dream
- Cotie McMahon Injury Update - Washington Mystics
- New York Liberty Welcome Fans Back to Barclays Center to Tip off 2026 WNBA Season, Celebrating Historic 30th Season - New York Liberty
- Tempo Announce Launch of Tempo Basketball Foundation - Toronto Tempo
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