Valkyries have to defy expectations again following EuroBasket exodus

There’s the unprecedented — the ownership investment of Joe Lacob in this expansion franchise, to the Bay Area interest in the team that predated a single player being named to the roster, to the hiring of the league’s first Asian American head coach, to the largest four consecutive home crowds in league history.

And there’s the intriguing — the construction of a roster built on the back of international talent; the lack of interest by big-name free agents in the winter; the timing of debuting an expansion franchise on the cusp of what will be a seismic collective bargaining agreement in the coming months that will turn practically the entire league into free agents; and the fact that this team, under Natalie Nakase’s “killer” mentality, has come out of the gate prepared to immediately compete with the league’s top-tier teams.

Now add to the twists and turns, this one … the exodus of the aforementioned international talent to participate in the EuroBasket Tournament, which begins on June 18.

So much has gone so well for the Valkyries so far. The big question for the next four to six weeks is, can Golden State overachieve through this challenge as well?

Nothing about this scenario comes as a surprise. While the Valkyries might have been hoping that more players would choose to stay, they have prepared for this stretch.

“We have a plan,” Nakase said Monday after Golden State defeated Los Angeles in overtime for its second straight win, a strong follow-up to a stunning 27-point victory over Las Vegas on Saturday. “It’s the same thing as an expansion draft. You have to be ready … We’ve watched a lot of film on other players, we’ve had conversations.”

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Who’s out?

Last week, Kyara Linskens was waived and will play for Belgium.

On Sunday, Cecilia Zandalasini departed to pay for the Italian national team.

On Tuesday, point guard Julie Vanloo announced her temporary departure to play for Belgium.

On Wednesday, rookie Janelle Salaün, coming off a career-high 21 points against the Sparks Monday, announced that she was departing (also temporarily) to represent France.

And Temi Fágbénlé is expected to leave soon to play for the British national team.

Who’s in?

On Sunday, the Valkryies re-signed Laeticia Amihere, who was with the team during training camp.

On Tuesday, they signed veteran guard Aerial Powers. Powers joined the roster immediately and will be available against Seattle on Saturday.

Who’s coming back (eventually)?

Zandalasini, Vanloo, Salaün and Fágbénlé are all expected back, required to report within 48 hours after their teams conclude their respective tournament runs. Also coming in will be 6-foot-4 French center Iliana Rupert, who will join the Valkyries for the first time in time for the season’s second half.

In the meantime, Golden State will have hope that their recent successes on both ends of the floor will carry them through the next month — a stretch that will include six of seven games at the Chase Center, followed by a four-game road trip, running the Valkyries almost up to the WNBA All-Star Break in mid-July.

They will miss Salaün and Fágbénlé crashing the boards and Vanloo’s confident passing from the point. They will miss the depth and versatility they’ve enjoyed to this point, not to mention the chemistry that this collective group has shown.

Still, Golden State’s offensive balance may continue to serve them well, with three remaining players – Kayla Thornton (13.6 ppg with three double-doubles), Veronica Burton (12.3 ppg) and Tiffany Hayes (10.0 ppg) — averaging in double figures and Monique Billings not far behind at 8.0 points a game. Carla Leite (the only international player not heading overseas), put up 15 points off the bench against the Sparks and has three games in double figures.

Defensively, Thornton is second in steals per game (2.1) behind MVP candidate Napheesa Collier of Minnesota. Burton and Leite will defend the perimeter. And their mix of lineups to this point may end up being a plus, giving the variety of combinations that Nakase has already put on the floor and giving the players a sense of comfort with whomever happens to be out there at a given time.

Powers, a first-round pick in the 2016 draft, will be a help off the bench. She has nine years of WNBA experience, having played in Atlanta last season. Powers has averaged 10.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in her career and won a title with Washington in 2019.

Amihere, the South Carolina product, impressed during the preseason before she was one of the final roster cuts, averaging 12.5 points.

And Golden State is expected to sign one more player to make up for the departures.

A team that has already defied expectations will have to keep doing it.

Nakase said the team has been supportive of the players who are deciding to play for their countries.
“We want them to go with their heart,” Nakase said.

And to come back soon.

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