Valkyries, in just second season, already an unlikely WNBA contender

In October 2023, Warriors and Valkyries owner Joe Lacob guaranteed that his WNBA expansion team would win a championship in its first five years.Could it happen sooner than that?The Valkyries, in only their second year of competition, are in the conversation to contend for this year’s title, despite lacking a true big three or a top 10 player.Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Madeline Kenney about all things Liberty and WNBA.

Instead, in this age of star chasing, Golden State is essentially a team of elite role players. The Valkyries have been successful because they play an unselfish style, and coach Natalie Nakase has maximized the talent within her locker room. “They’ve done a great job of collecting the players for how they want to play,” coach Chris DeMarco said Wednesday of the Valkyries.“They got a lot of versatility, a lot of toughness, a lot of extra-effort players that are really bought in.

They do a great job.” Still, their success as an expansion franchise has been unrivaled.They went to the playoffs in Year 1 and are looking at a No.

1 or 2 seed in Year 2. Meanwhile, the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire have been eliminated from playoff contention.DeMarco credited the collaboration between Nakase and general manager Ohemaa Nyanin for the team’s prosperity. “I do think there’s value in being able to look across the league and be like, ‘Hey, this is the type of player that fit well in my system,’ ” he said.“And they hit a home run on them.” Marine Johannes and Pauline Astier got the call Sunday that they were picked to represent France at next month’s FIBA World Cup in Berlin. Meanwhile, fellow French guard and Olympic silver medalist Marine Fauthoux didn’t make the cut this time around. She said she didn’t receive any explanation for her omission. “I don’t know, I’m not on the roster,” Fauthoux said.

“I will cheer for my team.” Other conf...