Expansion teams in professional sports are supposed to take their lumps. They draft role players, patch together lineups, and hope to build a foundation for the future. Rarely do they sniff the postseason, let alone in year one.
The Golden State Valkyries never accepted that script. On Thursday night at Chase Center, they made history by defeating the Dallas Wings, 84-80, and becoming the first WNBA expansion franchise to clinch a playoff berth in its inaugural season.
The moment carried the weight of months of doubt and years of anticipation. Confetti rained down, fans stayed long after the final buzzer, and players pulled on black shirts emblazoned with “Playoffs 2025.” Janelle Salaün, who led the team with 19 points, grabbed a microphone at midcourt and shouted, “We’re the first.”
For head coach Natalie Nakase, the celebration was balanced with perspective.
“I’m bittersweet in terms of we’re supposed to do this,” Nakase said. “That’s my mental. That’s me kind of saying must win. I told the girls we intentionally picked you guys for this reason—to do things for the first.”
That duality—celebrating history while setting the bar higher—has defined Golden State’s rise.
The Game That Sealed It
The Wings, playing spoiler, weren’t supposed to make the night easy. They opened on a 10-0 run and later built a 13-point lead in the third quarter behind rookie guard Paige Bueckers. The Valkyries struggled early, held scoreless for more than three minutes and turning the ball over repeatedly.
Nakase admitted she was searching for answers. “I was sitting there trying to find a rotation I liked,” she said.
The response came from everywhere. Reserve forward Laeticia Amihere (nicknamed “LA”) brought energy on the glass. Kate Martin pushed the pace. Salaün hit three clutch free throws in the final minute. Rookie guard Carla Leite steadied the offense in the second half, calling plays out of the pick-and-roll and attacking gaps in Dallas’ defense.
“Carla came alive,” Nakase said. “She made the calls. She navigated everything in the pick-and-roll. Jaw [Salaün] finished the game really well, making clutch threes. And then V [Veronica Burton] closed it with free throws. Everyone stepped up tonight.”
The decisive play came with 22 seconds left. Burton, matched against Bueckers, drove right, absorbed contact, and finished through a foul. The and-one put Golden State up five, sparking a celebration that reverberated through the Chase Center.
“They said, ‘We know what we’re doing, coach,’” Nakase laughed afterward. “I was confused, but V can make big plays like that. She deserves it. The crowd was unbelievable—I couldn’t hear anything.”
Veronica Burton Becomes “Unfazed”
Burton’s clutch basket was more than just a highlight. For Nakase, it symbolized growth.
“Earlier in the season, she probably would have tilted her head and rolled her eyes,” Nakase said. “Now she tells me, ‘Anytime you see me slipping like that, just stay on me.’ I call her now V. Unfazed. That’s her name. She knows what we need to run and who to attack. She likes big moments.”
The shift has been visible. Once hesitant, Burton now finishes games with confidence, whether at the free-throw line or orchestrating late possessions.
“She’s not afraid anymore,” Nakase said. “She embraces those moments, and that’s huge going into the playoffs.”
Carla Leite’s Emergence
If Burton is the steady hand, Leite has become the spark. The French rookie has grown from tentative contributor to commanding lead guard. Nakase noted her progress not just in scoring, but in leadership.
“She’s taking English lessons, so she’s comfortable calling out her teammates,” Nakase said. “She was basically like, ‘Give me the effing ball, I got this.’ That’s the growth. I can go with Carla, I can go with V, or Caitlyn Chen. I’ve got talented point guards I can trust, and that’s a luxury.”
In the third quarter against Dallas, Leite scored six quick points, fueling a 17-8 Valkyries run. The comeback energized the crowd and swung momentum back to Golden State’s side.
“When she gets going, she’s unguardable,” Burton added postgame. “She’s a threat at all three levels and a phenomenal passer. We’ve got full confidence in her.”
A Culture of Embracing Discomfort
Part of what separates Golden State from past expansion teams is its cultural foundation. Nakase demands that her players thrive in discomfort.
“They like challenges,” Nakase said. “I’ve got 13 players that love to be pushed, be uncomfortable. And when someone’s uncomfortable, they’re also supportive. In timeouts, people not in the game were encouraging—‘Come on, keep fighting.’ Anyone can step up, and that’s what’s great going into the playoffs.”
It’s a philosophy rooted in her mentors and family. Nakase referenced Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla’s influence on staying present, and her father’s blunt motivational style.
“Pregame my dad would say, ‘You better [expletive] win,’” Nakase said. “Now he’d say, ‘Go win the next [expletive] game.’ If not, I’d hear it on the way home.”
The Halftime Turning Point
Golden State’s turnaround didn’t happen by accident. At halftime, trailing by double digits, Nakase delivered a fiery message.
“They weren’t doing anything,” Nakase said. “I can’t say what I said—it was a lot of cussing. But I told them this is a choice. You guys want to [expletive] make the playoffs or not? It’s also a choice whether you pick each other up. I know we’ve been preparing for these moments, but guess what? You’re in the best shape. If this is what you want, go take it.”
The Valkyries responded immediately, cutting into the deficit and eventually controlling the fourth quarter.
“That’s when you saw them call each other out and hold each other accountable,” Nakase said. “That’s the growth.”
Expansion History Rewritten
The Valkyries’ postseason berth represents a sharp break from WNBA expansion precedent. The last new franchise, the Atlanta Dream in 2008, went 4-30 in its first year. Other expansion teams often languished at the bottom of the standings for years before contending.
Golden State has charted a different path. The franchise set a women’s sports record by topping 15,000 season-ticket deposits before ever playing a game. They sold out all 22 home games at Chase Center, consistently drawing crowds above 18,000. Now, they’ve turned that support into on-court success.
Nakase credits the roster-building strategy—selecting versatile players, many with international experience, and emphasizing competitive fire. “We picked them for a reason,” she said.
file under: history-making moments pic.twitter.com/UMT5zA9n85
— Golden State Valkyries (@valkyries) September 5, 2025
The seeds of this season were planted during Nakase’s hiring process with team governor Joe Lacob, who also owns the Golden State Warriors.
“When I interviewed with Joe, I was nervous,” Nakase said. “But he told me, ‘Whoever gets this job, you’ve got to win in five years. That’s the requirement.’ And I said, ‘Sign me up.’”
The exchange mirrored her father’s no-nonsense approach.
“That reminded me of my dad,” Nakase said. “He sets a goal and doesn’t stop until it’s accomplished. I wanted to work for Joe because he has high standards. That motivates me.
Eyes on What’s Next
Despite the historic clinch, Nakase was quick to pivot toward the future. The Valkyries sit sixth in the standings with three regular-season games left, including two against the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx. Their seed could rise to fifth or slip to eighth.
“I really don’t allow them to celebrate,” Nakase said. “They can enjoy this, but I keep them humble. You want to keep making strides? Stay focused. We haven’t beaten Minnesota yet. They’re loaded, disciplined, and well-coached. That’s our next challenge.”
Goodnight, Bay Area 🌙 pic.twitter.com/XcWTxMWUEg
— Golden State Valkyries (@valkyries) September 5, 2025
For a team that has already exceeded every expectation, the bar keeps moving higher. The Valkyries aren’t satisfied with being the first expansion team to make the playoffs—they want to prove they belong.
The Standard They’ve Set
From ticket sales to attendance to now postseason basketball, Golden State has rewritten what an expansion franchise can be. The players embrace their underdog identity, and Nakase continues to push them toward more.
“This group likes being pushed,” Nakase said. “They like challenges. They don’t want to be stagnant. That’s why we’re here.”
Salaün put it more simply in the postgame celebration. Microphone in hand, she summed up the season’s story in three words: “We’re the first.”
