By Mauricio Segura July 29, 2025
Photo: GBT Graphics
Golden State entered its inaugural WNBA season with high hopes and early momentum. Central to their success was All-Star forward Kayla Thornton, whose career‑best numbers and fiery leadership helped transform the Valkyries into a playoff contender. Yet just as the expansion franchise was nearing a breakthrough, disaster struck. Thornton suffered a right knee injury in practice earlier this week, underwent surgery on Friday, and will miss the remainder of the 2025 campaign.
At age 32, Thornton had quietly orchestrated the best season of her career. She averaged a team‑leading 14.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, along with more than a steal per contest—a stat line that earned her the franchise’s first WNBA All‑Star selection. Thornton’s presence in crunch time, her hustle on both ends, and her veteran poise had become the backbone of the Valkyries’ identity.
Her sudden absence leaves not only a statistical void but also an emotional and strategic one.
Golden State executed a textbook performance Friday night against the Dallas Wings, rallying without Thornton to win 86–76. That effort was fueled by a third-quarter surge, sparked by Janelle Salaün and Iliana Rupert drilling triples while Tiffany Hayes led the offense with 17 points. It was a clear signal: the Valkyries aren’t ready to concede their playoff chase yet.
But the season‑ending loss of their top scorer and rebounder raises big questions. Thornton played more minutes than anyone else on the team aside from point guard Veronica Burton, no other player had even reached half her workload. Coach Natalie Nakase, who has already tinkered with more lineup combinations than any team in the league, now must reimagine a rotation without its anchor.
Who steps up? Zandalasini and Salaün, both dynamic wings, are expected to take on heavier scoring responsibilities. Tiffany Hayes will need to stretch the defense with her perimeter accuracy, while Burton may shoulder more offensive creation duties. Inside, Monique Billings and Temi Fagbenlé will be asked to carry the frontcourt grunt work. The Valkyries’ defensively minded philosophy can help, but replacing Thornton’s versatility is no small task.
Thornton’s story itself is emblematic of perseverance. Undrafted out of UTEP in 2014, she carved out a WNBA career through grit—playing overseas in South Korea, Italy, Russia, Egypt, and Australia, before bouncing through several WNBA franchises. She won a championship with the Liberty in 2024, and then was selected by Golden State in December’s expansion draft. In 2025 she finally bloomed into an All-Star, unleashing the full force of her talent, and in heartbreaking fashion, doing so just weeks before her season ended abruptly.
For the Valkyries, the path forward is bittersweet. They currently sit just outside the playoff picture in their first-ever season, riding the confidence of overachieving beyond expectations. Thornton was a catalyst, but now the Valkyries must prove they’re more than one player. Friday’s win over Dallas showed the depth of character in the locker room. Yet the rest of the schedule, filled with critical road tests and Commissioner’s Cup games, will demand sustained contributions from the supporting cast.
What happens next will define Golden State’s season. Can Zandalasini develop into the go‑to scorer? Will Salaün and Hayes escalate their production? Can Burton, and the underrated forward group, absorb turnover and rebounding duties? The Valkyries’ ambitious playoff surge now hinges on adaptability and belief.
As for Thornton, her surgery was deemed successful and she’s beginning rehab immediately. Her presence will be missed on the court, but her influence remains in the locker room ethos she helped build. If the Valkyries continue to channel that collective energy, they may yet make a postseason run, honoring Thornton by proving the foundation she helped lay was built to last.
In short, Golden State must now answer a tough question: are they a flash built around a star or a franchise built for the future? The answer will emerge over the coming weeks as the season’s defining stretch begins.
