Which Valkyries must step up after Kayla Thornton’s crushing injury?

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Throughout the first half of the Valkyries’ inaugural season, Kayla Thornton emerged as the team’s must-watch player.

The forward averaged 14 points per game and earned her first career All-Star nod, thriving for an upstart team that is selling out home games and eager to continue a surprise bid for a playoff push.

If the Valkyries are going to stun the rest of the WNBA, they’ll need other players to carry a bigger load. The team announced Friday that Thornton underwent season-ending knee surgery after suffering an injury at practice earlier this week.

With Thornton sidelined for the remainder of the year, here are five other players who must step up over Golden State’s final 22 games.

As Golden State begins the second half of its season, the spotlight will shine on the newest frontcourt addition, a 6-foot-4 French center. Rupert, the former No. 12 selection in the 2021 WNBA Draft, brings a combination of size, defensive versatility, and perimeter shooting. When she suits up in violet for the first time Friday, she will join Monique Billings and Temi Fagbenle, who’ve worked the Valkyries’ center position in tandem thus far. Rupert’s rim protection, ability to stretch the floor with a consistent three-point shot, and familiarity with head coach Natalie Nakase — stemming from their time together in Las Vegas — could provide crucial depth to the rotation and holds the potential to unlock a new dimension of the team’s frontcourt scheme. 

Since entering the WNBA in 2021, Rupert has played just two seasons (37 total games) and has opted to spend the bulk of her professional career overseas. She’s played eight EuroLeague seasons since 2019 and has been a steady contributor for the French national team. Rupert has represented France in 12 FIBA tournaments, earning a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, silver at the Paris 2024 Olympics, and most recently helping lead the team to a fourth-place finish at EuroBasket, where she averaged 8.7 points and 4.2 boards over six games. She arrives in San Francisco fresh off one of the strongest seasons of her career with Turkey’s ÇBK Mersin in the EuroLeague, where she posted 16.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. That production underscores her ability to make an immediate impact in Nakase’s rotation.

Rupert is not the only French post player with huge potential for the Valkyries. The rookie Salaün, who signed with Golden State as an undrafted free agent, is the heart of the Valkyries’ young, developing core. In 14 games (her season was also shortened due to French national team duties at EuroBasket), the forward has averaged 9.7 points and 4.9 rebounds while averaging 22.8 minutes per game. 

Salaün had a strong start to the season, averaging 13.7 points through the Valkyries’ first four games. Her offensive efficiency has dipped following her return from EuroBasket, but she has a knack for delivering in high-pressure moments that could prove valuable moving forward. In the closing 10 seconds of a tight game against the Mercury, Salaün told Nakase she wanted the ball. She responded with a five-point flurry to tie the game, and though a last-second Mercury free throw sealed the Valkyries’ loss, Salaün’s fearlessness stood out. Her confidence and ability to deliver in clutch situations could make her a go-to option for the Valkyries when the stakes are highest in the next stretch of the season. 

With only eight games for the Valkyries under her belt — interrupted by her key role in Italy’s EuroBasket bronze medal run — Zandalasini has already flashed a two-way impact that could make a difference in Golden State’s final 22 games. The 6-foot-2 forward averages 9.3 points per game and has notched three double-digit scoring performances, but it’s her three-point shooting ability that speaks volumes to her potential. 

Heading into the All-Star break last weekend, Nakase was firm in her message: She wants her team to keep trusting the three-point shot, even through cold stretches. For a Golden State team that leads the league in three-point attempts but ranks second to last in percentage, Zandalasini’s efficiency from beyond the arc might be exactly what the Valkyries need to shift that balance. Through just eight games, Zandalasini is shooting 38.9% from three-point range, the second-best mark on the team, and is building on her reputation as one of the league’s premier perimeter threats. In 2024, she shot 44.3% from beyond the arc with the Minnesota Lynx, ranking sixth in the WNBA while helping power the league’s top three-point shooting team. As the Valkyries work to make long-range shooting a cornerstone of their offensive identity, Zandalasini’s presence on the wing should be a pivotal piece.

The on-court command and off-court leadership of Burton has been central to the Valkyries’ progress this season. With a vocal presence, she brings a level of poise and a high basketball IQ that anchors Golden State on both sides of the ball. As the Valkyries aim for a postseason berth, her role as the team’s floor general makes her a must-watch player.

Burton is averaging 11.0 points per game — providing consistent scoring from the backcourt — but it’s her playmaking and defensive instincts that set her apart as a two-way engine. She leads the team with 5.4 assists per game, ranking her in the top-10 distributors in the WNBA. In 12 of the Valkyries’s 22 games, she has tallied five or more assists — a testament to her court vision and tempo-setting ability. Defensively, Burton has become the heartbeat of the Valkyries’ disruption with her ability to generate momentum-swinging plays by rotating into passing lanes with the anticipation of taking charges in the paint. Entering the back half of the season, Burton’s consistency, leadership, and growing confidence suggest she’ll be more than a player to watch but one the Valkyries can lean on down the stretch.

Hayes is the most experienced Valkyrie as a 12-season WNBA veteran — and she plays every bit like a seasoned pro. A former All-Star and Sixth Player of the Year in 2024, Hayes brings a level of composure, toughness, and leadership to the Valkyries as a new team. Though she missed a few games with an injury early on, she has averaged a steady 12.8 points per game in her 15 appearances. 

What has made Hayes particularly valuable is her efficient shot selection: She’s shooting a team-best 46% from three-point range on 63 attempts, which has been crucial for the Valkyries’ perimeter-heavy offense. In games that come down to execution and poise down the stretch, as Golden State’s last four have, Hayes’ veteran presence should continue to make a difference. The 36-year-old’s energy is infectious in the backcourt, and her leadership is grounding for a roster that has been a bit of a revolving door.