2025 is not expected to be the Golden State Valkyries’ year, and more than a few know it. Yes, they are going to have all the success off the court, suggestive of their 10,000 tickets sold or the massive deal with a $37.2 billion brand. But on the court, the Bay Area franchise is taking it slow. Even if it means they go without a star player for a while. Because there’s a goal in place, and the Valkyries are making sure they get it right.
The Bay Area franchise’s start to life in the WNBA hasn’t been seamless. Head coach Natalie Nakase first managed to set an identity with the expansion draft when the Valkyries went veteran-heavy, laying focus on pace and threes. Mixed success, one would call it. For the free agency, the franchise accumulated the second-highest cap space of $1.2 million, ensuring financial limitations don’t stop the Bay Area from getting its star. But it was a nightmare.
Their chances at signing stars such as Kelsey Plum, Jonquel Jones, and Courtey Vandersloot slipped one after another as trades stacked up across the league. While one would sound an alarm, GM, Oheema Nyaanin is calm and composed because she knows what Valkyries is aiming for. It is not a Stephen Curry to become a face of the franchise, but to set its foot, lay the ground, establish an identity, and a certain Curry will naturally follow.
“We need to build our identity and throughout the season, hopefully, the face of the franchise emerges … I want it to be an organic process … who is going to earn it? I don’t want it to just be given to anybody,” Nyaanin said in a news conference on Friday.
The team currently boasts potential in Kate Martin or someone they could pick from in the upcoming draft. Infants of the WNBA, for now, they will pick 5th in the first-round and must make the most out of it as it signifies their last chance to bolster the squad before they head to the training camp. There are quite a few names floating around– Notre Dame’s Sonia Citron, USC’s Kiki Iriafen, TCU’s Hailey Van Lith, LSU’s Aneesah Morrow, or Maryland’s Shyanne Sellers.
But whoever it is, they are going to need to work hard for it. “I genuinely believe that if you work really hard at [becoming the face of a franchise], then you don’t mismanage it once it’s been given to you,” the GM notes. She places an emphasis on building their stars rather than trading for them, showcasing similar elements to the success that their NBA counterparts have enjoyed. Having placed their faith in the trio of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, the Warriors reaped the fruits in the form of 4 championships.
According to the head coach, the Valkyries have a deadline of their own — a title in the first 5 years — set by team owner Joe Lacob. The Valkyries clearly aren’t rushing it. But they aren’t slacking either. And to be honest, the pressure is real to get it all right when you share the name and arena with a successful franchise. Just ask Jess Smith, the president, who has had to walk the halls for the past year. But also when you are enjoying tie-ups and massive interest even before the season kicks off.
Golden State Valkyries bags in a massive partner
The Valkyries may still be looking for a star on roster, but they have already struck a deal with the Bay Area’s very own, valued at $37.2 billion. It is, as the franchise put it, “The baddest of the Bay, Bay Area neighbor,” Sephora!
The baddest of the Bay
Our Bay Area neighbor, @Sephora, is joining the Golden State Valkyries as a Founding Partner, the Official Beauty Partner, and presenter of the Sephora Performance Center in Oakland.
Together, we’re celebrating the beauty of sport and redefining what… pic.twitter.com/AEWMuJyTKg
— Golden State Valkyries (@valkyries) April 9, 2025
The collaboration creates opportunities to highlight players’ personal journeys, showcasing them as multifaceted individuals whose influence extends beyond athletics. Srivatsa Arnold, CMO of Sephora said, “As a marketer, I firmly believe that to reach consumers today, especially Gen Z, you need to go beyond typical advertising and media. People are increasingly looking for brands that engage in meaningful ways and clearly express their values through substantive actions in the world.” However, that isn’t where it stops.
As part of this partnership, Sephora will be the naming rights partner for the team’s 31,800-square-foot, state-of-the-art Oakland-based performance center, rebranded as the “Sephora Performance Center”, and will be the presenting partner for the Valkyries Content Day and Training Camp. A significant moment in the history of sports marketing, it places emphasis on celebrating athletes as complete individuals.
With that, and an experienced squad in place, the Valkyries must now ensure they shift their focus to the court as the Bay Area now has a taste of success and the level of expectations are far higher than they were a decade ago.
The post Golden State Valkyries GM Admits They Haven’t Found Their Steph Curry Yet Days After Tying Up Deal With $37.2 Billion Business appeared first on EssentiallySports.
