The Golden State Valkyries, the WNBA's new expansion franchise, will begin the process of filling out its roster for its inaugural season on Friday night during a highly anticipated expansion draft. That event is set for 6:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast by ESPN.
In simple terms, the expansion draft works like this: the Valkyries can select up to 12 players, but no more than one from each of the other 12 teams. The current teams, meanwhile, were able to protect six players, including those on the roster and those whose draft rights they hold, making them ineligible for selection.
Unfortunately, the league did not make those protected lists public, so we don't know for sure who is off limits and who is available. We can make some educated guesses, though, based on the current teams' roster and salary-cap situations. Here is a full breakdown of which six players each team might protect.
As the Valkyries start their team from scratch, they will likely be targeting young players with upside who either need a change of scenery or who, for whatever reason, haven't gotten much of a chance so far. Ahead of Friday, here is a look at five players who might be available that would make sense for the Valkyries.
1. Atlanta Dream: Haley Jones
Jones has had a disappointing start to her professional career since she was selected at No. 6 overall in 2023. Due to the Dream's desire to speed up their rebuild and her own inability to develop an outside shot, she has not received much consistent playing time over her first two seasons.
When she has gotten to play, though, she's shown some intriguing flashes as a big, playmaking guard and versatile defender. Point guards who can hold up against frontcourt players and help control the glass don't grow on trees, and Jones is still only 23 years old. She also made her way to Australia this winter and will play overseas for the first time in her career. Her experience in the WNBL should only help her development.
Jones' ceiling as a non-scoring threat is only so high, but there's still a path to her being a productive WNBA player, especially on a team that has more spacing than the Dream, who were one of the worst shooting teams in the league. And for the Valkyries, it certainly wouldn't hurt that Jones is from California and played collegiately at Stanford.
2. Connecticut Sun: Olivia Nelson-Ododa
UConn products simply know how to play, and Nelson-Ododa is yet another example of the benefit of going through Geno Auriemma's program up in Storrs. A second-round pick in 2022, Nelson-Ododa earned a roster spot with the Sun and has stuck around for three seasons because she's a solid, reliable back-up big.
Unfortunately for Nelson-Ododa, the Sun have had one of the best frontcourts in the league in recent seasons in Alyssa Thomas, DeWanna Bonner and Brionna Jones. Thomas and Bonner rarely come off the court, and aside from Jones' Achilles injury in 2023, there haven't been many available minutes for Nelson-Ododa. If all three plan to return to Uncasville next season, the Sun might leave the youngster unprotected.
If so, she would be another savvy pick up for the Valkyries. When Nelson-Ododa has gotten some extended run, she's produced – most notably during the 2023 playoffs against the New York Liberty. She's a reliable finisher inside and at 6-foot-5 provides a real presence in the paint. While she may not have a ton of upside, it seems clear that she can succeed in a bigger role than the one she currently has in Connecticut.
3. Dallas Wings: Awak Kuier
The former No. 2 overall pick has only played 957 total minutes since she was drafted in 2021, and sat out of the WNBA in 2024 for personal reasons. She plans to return for the 2025 season, but whether that will be with the Dallas Wings remains to be seen. This is a transformational offseason for the Wings, and it's unclear if Kuier is part of their future plans.
Should she be left unprotected, it would be a no-brainer for the Valkyries to make her their pick from the Wings. She never really got much of a chance in Dallas, but that was in large part due to their logjam in the frontcourt. When she did get to play, there were some moments that were truly eye-popping, particularly in the 2023 playoffs.
Kuier's athleticism at 6-foot-6 is rare, and she's been impressive for Venezia in the EuroLeague this season, where she's averaging 16.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks. The jumper is still a work in progress, but she's a willing 3-point shooter. Her potential as a rim protector, meanwhile, is obvious. In a best possible outcome, Kuier could become a centerpiece for the Valkyries as a floor-spacing, rim-protecting center.
4. Minnesota Lynx: Dorka Juhasz
Second-round picks usually don't stick around for long in the WNBA, if they even make a team at all. Juhasz broke that mold in 2023 with an impressive rookie season for the Minnesota Lynx that culminated in an All-Rookie Team honor and a playoff appearance.
That she lost her starting spot and saw a decrease in playing time last season was through no fault of her own. The Lynx signed Alanna Smith in free agency and became surprise contenders, which resulted in a lesser role for Juhasz. Similarly, if she is indeed available in this draft, it will only be a statement on the Lynx's depth, not her talent or potential.
The 6-foot-5 center is a strong finisher around the basket, has shown a willingness to step out and take 3-pointers and can operate as a playmaking hub from the high post. Defensively, there's a lot to like as well with her mobility. Juhasz is going to have a long career in the league, and as she continues to develop it's not crazy to think she could one day blossom into a star in a bigger role.
5. Washington Mystics: Jade Melbourne
Melbourne began her professional career as an 18-year-old in her native Australia, and when she made her WNBA debut with the Seattle Storm in 2023, she did so as the youngest player in the league. Even now, with two WNBA seasons under her belt, she remains younger than a number of the top prospects for the 2025 WNBA Draft, including projected top pick Paige Bueckers.
That's not to suggest that she has that kind of potential, but if Melbourne were in this draft class, and had spent the last four years playing at Arizona State – her original plan before the COVID-19 pandemic – she'd definitely be a first-round pick and perhaps even a lottery selection. The only reason she could be available in the expansion draft is because the Mystics, who currently do not have a general manager or coach, have more than six players they'll want to protect, including multiple prospects.
Melbourne is a tough, physical guard who loves to run in transition and has a knack for getting downhill. Perhaps the most encouraging aspect of last season is that she showed off an improved 3-point shot (35.7%). She can get a little loose with the ball, but there's a lot of talent there and she would be an exciting project for Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase, herself a former guard.
