Valkyries Defeat Seattle Storm by Double Digits in 2026 Regular Season Opener
WNBA Golden State Valkyries

Valkyries Defeat Seattle Storm by Double Digits in 2026 Regular Season Opener

Published on May 8, 2026 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Golden State Valkyries News Release


The Golden State Valkyries defeated the Seattle Storm 91-80 at Climate Pledge Arena on Friday night in the team's opening game of 2026.

Janelle Salaün scored a team-high 20 points, with Veronica Burton adding 16 points and a team-high six assists.

Golden State made 15 3-pointers, one short of the franchise record.

SALAÜN FROM DISTANCE

Janelle Salaün hit a career-high-tying five 3-pointers in Friday's win, scoring a team-high 20 points. Salaün shot 7-for-16 from the field and 5-for-11 from 3-point range.

CHEN SCORES CAREER-HIGH

Second-year guard Kaitlyn Chen scored a career-high 14 points in the victory, scoring all 14 in the second half. Chen was able to finish at all three levels, showcasing her ability to finish at the rim, while also splashing a pair of threes.

FOUR PLAYERS DEBUT

Gabby Williams, Kiah Stokes, Miela Sowah and Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda all made their Valkyrie debuts in the contest.

Gabby Williams and Kiah Stokes got the start on Friday. Williams filled the box score with seven points, six rebounds and four assists, while Stokes added six points, four rebounds, three assists and a game-high three blocks.

Sowah and Mwenentanda made their first career WNBA appearances, both closing out the game in the final minutes.

KAYLA GETS THINGS STARTED

Kayla Thornton, who scored the first basket in Valkyries history in 2025, once again scored the first bucket of the season in 2026. Thornton took a Tiffany Hayes pass and hit a 3-pointer from 26 feet.

Thornton finished the game with 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds.

BURTON SCORES 14 IN FIRST HALF

Veronica Burton, the 2025 Kia WNBA Most Improved Player, picked up right where she left off last season, scoring 14 points in the first half.

Burton recorded 16 points and six assists in a team-high 31 minutes.

UP NEXT

The Valkyries will host their regular season home opener on Sunday, May 10 against the Phoenix Mercury (5:30 p.m.; KPIX+ (Bay Area) KMAX (Sacramento)) before hosting the Chicago Sky on Wednesday, May 13 (7 p.m.; KPIX+ (Bay Area) KMAX (Sacramento)).

Check out the Golden State Valkyries Statistics

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