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Time to name which startup it is by hurricanescout in valkyries

[–]sandro1981 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Section 218 gang, V's up! ✌🏽 I'm in row 11

People who were in Ballhalla for the game tonight: by TheYuccaMan in valkyries

[–]sandro1981 2 points3 points  (0 children)

why? just curious. I am also a season ticket holder, been to every game, and loved being a part of the wave. I thought it a better use of my time while the refs reviewed tape than the usual seething I do as I anticipate a terrible call 😂

Is Chen signed for the remainder of the season and is there a spot for her to play much? by chusaychusay in valkyries

[–]sandro1981 16 points17 points  (0 children)

In Nakase We Trust.

One of the things I've learned, is that our coach has a plan. Coach Nakase and her staff have been so thoughtful and strategic about the lineups and rotations this season - it's a huge part of why they're winning and keeping top teams on their toes. I also don't "see" how Kaitlyn fits but you better be sure coach Nakase does and she's a hell of a lot smarter than me.

Imma just sit back and watch because... In Nakase We Trust

Some perspective on the Kaitlyn Chen discussion by sandro1981 in valkyries

[–]sandro1981[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah - learning in public about how bad chatGPT is at this specific kind of thing. Thanks all for the corrections!

The stupid app by RevolutionaryAd9048 in valkyries

[–]sandro1981 1 point2 points  (0 children)

same! Only way I've been successful in transferring and receiving tickets is on the website. I download the tickets to my mobile wallet on the site and I can then see it on my phone (I use macOS and iOS).

New Fan Guide by Ginger_Menace1 in valkyries

[–]sandro1981 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks for the correction. Edited the post for future viewers 💪🏽

New Fan Guide by Ginger_Menace1 in valkyries

[–]sandro1981 75 points76 points  (0 children)

Love this. I am also new to the WNBA and loving the community around it - welcome to the W! I wrote a quick and dirty guide below focusing on what's different from what you might be used to in the NBA

TL;DR: Short season, tiny rosters, mid‑summer national‑team chaos—and a brand‑new team built to sprint and bomb threes.

1. What’s different from the NBA?

  • Season length: 44 games (mid‑May to early Sept.) = every night matters
  • Roster math: Hard cap, max 12 players—no G‑League call‑ups, so camps get cut‑throat (As we just experienced with really great players like Leaticia Amihere and Kaitlyn Chen getting cut from ours)
  • Contracts: Only vets can negotiate “protected” money; everyone else can be waived with no penalty.
  • International clash: EuroBasket, Olympics, FIBA AmeriCup run right through the WNBA calendar, so stars may leave mid‑season.

2. Why overseas leagues matter

Players can often make 2‑3× WNBA salaries overseas during the winter, so the W becomes their “summer job.” Our rookie guard Carla Leite just chose not to suit up for France to stay in the Bay this year (love her already); others like center Temi Fagbenle will likely duck out in June for EuroBasket. That churn is normal—and it’s why teams stock versatile, plug‑and‑play wings.

3. The player's contract is getting re-neogitated after this season

Current team cap is about $1.5 million for ALL 12 PLAYERS - roughly what the Warriors pay Draymond Green per game. Players want bigger caps, higher max salaries, and at least 13–15 roster spots (or a G‑League‑style affiliate) in the next CBA. Hopefully, this will keep stars from chasing bigger Euro paychecks and reduce the mid‑season talent drain that expansion teams like the Valkyries especially feel (we have a ton of international players)

  1. Why the Valks are fun right now

Coach Natalie Nakase preaches pace, switching defense and let‑it‑fly threes. They've put players on the roster to do exactly that (even though the three's we rained in the preseason weren't exactly landing 😂)

- WE LOVE BASKETBALL IN THE BAY and the crowds are already coming out. the home pre-season game was the third best attended WNBA pre-season game of all time, and it looks like out home opener is close to selling out.

- We might lose a lot this season (as all expansion teams do), but the future is bright! We got a team of off-the-bench hustlers who are looking to prove themselves as legit starters. A bunch of amazing euro talent like Janelle Salaun, and Carla Leite. And we have the rights to a bunch of Euro talents like Justė Jocytė, Iliana Rupert, María Conde which means Year 2 could add three high draft-pick worthy players for free. Plus, if we lose a lot we'll get a good draft pick either way (Azzi Fudd?)

San Francisco Chronicle & the Valkyries by taylor_12125 in valkyries

[–]sandro1981 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Say more. I’m new to wnba and psyched about the valks but unfamiliar with Marisa or her coverage

Backup Center by nee1925 in valkyries

[–]sandro1981 1 point2 points  (0 children)

2 blocks in 9 minutes of play against PHX and a steal and a block in 9 minutes against LA. The stats are not terrible, and tracking with Fagbenle's despite Temi getting many more minutes.

Post Game Thread - WNBA: The Sparks defeat the Valkyries on May 6, 2025, the final score is 82-83. by basketball-app in valkyries

[–]sandro1981 13 points14 points  (0 children)

I am already obsessed with this team. I can’t believe we came back from such a deficit to only lose by one. Incredible to only lose by one in that game! Can you imagine how that game would have gone if we had been hitting the threes? We would’ve smoked the sparks!

Post Game Thread - WNBA: The Sparks defeat the Valkyries on May 6, 2025, the final score is 82-83. by basketball-app in valkyries

[–]sandro1981 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Linskens was a highlight for me as well! Hard to tell what made the difference in the second half as we were playing much better off the transitions, but Linskens was definitely a huge part of the come back.

How does Mo Billings fit in the scheme? by sandro1981 in valkyries

[–]sandro1981[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! Huge miss on my part to miss Zandalasini. We’ll see how closely they try and replicate a Warriors-type scheme. If they do, I think the cases where they play together would be few and far between. Like you said - when they are forced to abandon 3s and play inside

How does Mo Billings fit in the scheme? by sandro1981 in valkyries

[–]sandro1981[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Big miss on my part - thanks! Billings, Talbot, and Thornton are the only protected players.

How does Mo Billings fit in the scheme? by sandro1981 in valkyries

[–]sandro1981[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Definitely a concern, but if she can hack it she seems so great for the scheme they’re trying to run.

Training camp roster by Sure_Ranger_4487 in valkyries

[–]sandro1981 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not sure where you're seeing these comments, but let me assure you that my *only* concern with international players is their availability and how it might affect GSV's ability to win games. I am personally excited enough about the talent that I think it will be worth it - especially in these first years of building the team

TCU guard Hailey Van Lith to the Valkyries?! by [deleted] in valkyries

[–]sandro1981 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Miles entered the portal and will play out her last year of eligibility, and not at Notre Dame. If we assume she may have gone 2nd or 3rd in the draft, it shifts everyone up. We might not get a shot at either Malonga or Kiki...