Overview
- The Valkyries opened training camp Sunday in Oakland, where Kayla Thornton practiced without a knee brace and said she expects to play the May 8 opener.
- Head coach Natalie Nakase said Thornton’s status will be decided day by day and emphasized that player health will drive every call.
- Veronica Burton, the league’s reigning Most Improved Player, said the team’s target this season is to compete for a championship.
- Golden State kept its core and added marquee pieces in free agency, including Gabby Williams and three-time WNBA champion Kiah Stokes, with several additions yet to report as they finish seasons in Europe.
- The team re-signed guard Tiffany Hayes to a one-year deal on Saturday, and the schedule features one preseason game on April 25 before the season opener in Seattle on May 8.