April 16, 2025
Locked On Women’s Basketball: The first Golden State draft
Natalie Heavren and Michelle Smith discuss the strengths of the Valkyries' three draft picks and what they can bring to the new team
On the latest episode of Locked On Women’s Basketball, host Natalie Heavren is joined by The Next’s Valkyries beat writer, Michelle Smith, to discuss the Golden State Valkyries’ inaugural draft. The two discuss the team’s picks, the upcoming training camp, and generally, what fans can expect as this new team prepares for its first season.
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Heavren and Smith open the show by talking about the Valkyries’ first pick, Lithuanian guard Justė Jocytė. “They went a little bit unexpected,” Smith says, but then adds context to the pick. “She is guard with a ton of international experience at the age of 19.” Smith then goes onto explain pick two, Shyanne Sellers, who the Valkyries were “super happy to see on board,” and their third pick, Kaitlyn Chen, the “feel-good thing,” per Smith.
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Later on, Heavren asks Smith who she expects to stand out during the team’s training camp. “For Tiffany Hayes, I think, for the first time, this is going to be her team,” Smith says. She also names Monique Billings as a player who will impress, and mentions that the fate of international players is a little concerning, given the larger dynamics currently surrounding immigration.
Heavren closes out the show by asking Smith what she’s most looking forward to about the Valkyries’ upcoming season. “As someone who has covered the league since its inception, having a team in the market where I live is beyond exciting,” Smith says. “It’s something that the Bay Area has been waiting for.”
Make sure to subscribe to the Locked On Women’s Basketball podcast to keep learning about the WNBA, women’s college basketball, basketball history and much more! Plus, follow along with all of our coverage of the 2025 WNBA Draft at The Next!
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