“High Expectations for All”: GM Ohemaa Nyanin Outlines Valkyries Draft Vision

The Bay Area franchise enters its first WNBA Draft with momentum, flexibility, and more than 22,000 season ticket deposits.

As the Golden State Valkyries prepare for their first-ever WNBA Draft on Monday, General Manager Ohemaa Nyanin is focused on building a foundation defined by depth, character, and competitiveness. While established teams often draft to fill specific rotational needs or add complementary pieces, the Bay Area franchise is fundamentally shaping its core identity and long-term competitive outlook.

Three Picks, One Philosophy

Golden State holds three picks on Monday: No. 5 overall in the first round, No. 17 in the second, and No. 30 in the third. While most eyes are on the first-round selection, Nyanin emphasized that her expectations don’t stop there.

“We have high expectations for all of our athletes that are coming in,” Nyanin said during a pre-draft media call Friday afternoon. “We’ve allowed for a lot of flexibility in both the types of athletes that we’ve gotten and the types of contracts that we have. So we’re not putting pressure on any one pick. There are a lot of stories in the W of athletes who have gone undrafted that are still in the league, and so every athlete that comes into training camp is really important for us to help continue to define our identity for the season.”

Veterans, Draft Picks, and International Flair

The Valkyries are building that identity through more than just the draft. The team’s inaugural roster already includes seven top-20 picks and several veterans with championship-caliber experience, including French center Iliana Rupert, EuroCup Finals MVP Carla Leite, and 2024 Sixth Woman of the Year Tiffany Hayes?.

Nyanin said the team is evaluating a wide range of prospects and won’t finalize their decisions until close to draft night. “We’re openly and honestly looking at a whole bunch of different things,” she said.

“Whether it’s basketball prowess or who they are as an individual and their story.”

Draft Strategy Built on Flexibility

While some mock drafts project LSU’s Aneesah Morrow to land with Golden State at No. 5, Nyanin’s comments suggest the team is weighing multiple paths. Flexibility and adaptability remain central to the Valkyries’ broader roster strategy, especially with the challenges of onboarding international players in time for training camp. Golden State has partnered with a sports immigration law firm to ensure overseas players can arrive on time and fully integrate during training camp.

“We still have athletes who are playing overseas right now,” Nyanin said. “So it is something that I think about every day I wake up, I’m on a texting basis with our sports immigration law firm at this point.”

Bay Area Fandom Already Setting Records

The franchise has already made history, becoming the first team in women’s sports history to surpass 15,000 season ticket deposits back in July. Since then, the Valkyries have surpassed 22,000 season ticket deposits ahead of the team’s inaugural tip-off on May 16 at Chase Center?.

During the team’s expansion draft press conference back in early December, Nyanin described the front office’s approach to team building, saying, “We are just really excited about the opportunity to welcome these free agents and these college athletes, as well, and just wanted to give ourselves as much flexibility to be able to go and get athletes in the near future.”

A Championship Timeline from the Top

The choices made on April 14 will not only impact the 2025 season but will resonate through the early chapters of the franchise’s history.

As Golden State prepares to welcome its first draft class, Valkyries owner and  Golden State Warriors’  Co-Executive Chairman and CEO Joe Lacob has made no secret of the organization’s ambitions last May when Nyanin was introduced as the general manager.

“Going forward, as you know, the goal of this franchise — here I go, I’m going to do it again — our goal is to win championships and, frankly, within the first five years. We’ve done it with our G League team, we did it with the Warriors, and, shoot, what the hell, let’s just announce that as a goal right here once again, put a little pressure on from day one, win a championship, if not more, within the first five years.”

This isn’t Lacob’s first time owning a women’s basketball team. During the years of the defunct American Basketball League, he owned the San Jose Lasers, which only played two seasons (1996-1998). The ABL folded in 1998, and top players from the league found spots in the WNBA.

The Valkyries Preseason Roster So Far

Player	Position	Draft Info	Nationality	Notable Experience
Veronica Burton	Guard	7th overall (2022, DAL)	USA	Big Ten Defensive POY x3; strong FT shooter
Carla Leite	Guard	9th overall (2024, DAL)	France	2025 EuroCup Finals MVP
Tiffany Hayes	Guard	14th overall (2012, ATL)	USA	2024 Sixth Woman of the Year; WNBA All-Star
Kate Martin	Guard	18th overall (2024, LVA)	USA	NCAA Finalist with Iowa; bench contributor for Aces
Julie Vanloo	Guard	Undrafted	Belgium	Olympic and EuroBasket experience
Laeticia Amihere	Forward	8th overall (2023, ATL)	Canada	Olympian; NCAA Champion at South Carolina
Monique Billings	Forward	15th overall (2018, ATL)	USA	7 WNBA seasons; elite rebounder
Chloe Bibby	Forward	Undrafted	Australia	EuroCup standout; sharp 3-point shooter
Janelle Salaün	Forward	Undrafted	France	2024 Olympic silver medalist; versatile defender
Kayla Thornton	Forward	Undrafted	USA	WNBA Champion with NY Liberty; defensive specialist
Cecilia Zandalasini	Forward	Undrafted	Italy	Olympian; EuroBasket Champion
Maria Conde	Forward	Undrafted	Spain	Top European wing; WNBA and Olympic experience
Elissa Cunane	Center	17th overall (2022, SEA)	USA	All-ACC; played in Czech league
Temi Fagbenle	Center	35th overall (2016, MIN)	Great Britain/Nigeria	Olympian; WNBA & EuroLeague experience
Kyara Linskens	Center	Undrafted	Belgium	2023 EuroBasket Champion; FIBA standout
Iliana Rupert	Center	12th overall (2021, LVA)	France	Olympian; WNBA & EuroLeague player