No. 2 in the League With a Championship Goal — The Valkyries Are Not Done

The Golden State Valkyries are No. 2 in the WNBA and the message in the postgame presser is simple: the rankings do not matter. The playoffs do. The championship is the goal. This team focuses on what they can control. Play hard. Play together. Play defense. Defense is their identity and on this night on the road it showed up again in full. The emphasis coming in was to punch first and never stop punching. Set the tone, dictate, and never react. It worked.

The stay-ready group got their moment in the fourth quarter and the players made sure to give them their flowers. Nobody sees the daily work they put in behind the scenes. When the opportunity came they took it, and the Valkyries are going to need that group heading into Portland with key players unavailable. The veteran leader on this roster is described as irreplaceable. Even on nights when she does not log heavy minutes her voice fills every gap. The players look to her constantly and the success this team has found would not exist without her. Wherever this team plays, Valk Nation shows up. Seeing the purple in the stands on the road gives the Valkyries a jolt of energy every single time. There is always a little Valhalla wherever they go.

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Golden State Valkyries | WNBA | Players Presser | Kaila Charles | Janelle Salaun | Valk Nation | 2025

00:00 — Rankings Don't Matter: The Championship Is the Goal
00:19 — Back to Back: How Do You Keep the Energy Tomorrow?
00:40 — The Stay Ready Group Gets Their Moment in the Fourth Quarter
01:44 — Coming Out Hot: Punching First Was the Game Plan
01:53 — No. 2 in the League: What Has Made This Team Different This Year?
02:38 — Valk Nation on the Road: The Support That Gives Them Energy
03:38 — What Does Natalie Do That Makes This Team Successful?
04:32 — The Veteran Leader This Team Cannot Win Without