game-recap-mystics-vs-valkyries-5-21-2025

Game Recap: Mystics vs. Valkyries (5/21/2025)

The 144 is closer to becoming the 156. 
With the first league expansion since the Atlanta Dream 2008, the Golden State Valkyries made their selection of 11 players during the Expansion Draft on Dec. 6 to start forming their inaugural roster. And if there’s one takeaway from that selection process, the Valkyries had one type of player in mind when drafting: competitors. 
You heard that word from Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase throughout the evening, before, during, and after the announcement process, which aired for 30 minutes on ESPN on Friday night. Nakase had “competitor” at the top of her list when making selections for the team alongside general manager Ohemaa Nyanin, and it showed in how the roster actually shaped out. 
The initial 11-player list (the team chose not to make a selection from the Seattle Storm) features plenty of bigs—six are forwards and centers known most for their physical defense and rebounding skills. 
That part of the roster includes Temi Fagbenle from the Indiana Fever, Kayla Thornton from the New York Liberty, Stephanie Talbot from the Los Angeles Sparks, Cecilia Zandalisini from the Minnesota Lynx, Iliana Rupert from the Atlanta Dream, by way of the Çukurova Basketbol of the Turkish Super League, Monique Billings from the Phoenix Mercury, and María Conde from the Chicago Sky, by way of the USK Praha in the Czech League. 
The guards the team selected – Julie Vanloo from the Washington Mystics, Veronica Burton from the Connecticut Sun, Kate Martin from the Las Vegas Aces, and Carla Leite from the Dallas Wings, by way of the Villeneuve d&#8217;Ascq in the Ligue Féminine de Basketball – round out the shooting, speed, and playmaking on the potential final Golden State roster.
Some of the biggest names to stand out from the process were Fagbenle, Thornton, and Martin. Given that Fagbenle and Thornton were such key pieces of their previous team, the Valkyries were fortunate to land these gritty, defensive-minded players. With Fagbenle and Thornton, the Valkyries are banking on their collective experience in the WNBA and professional basketball overseas—13 years in the W alone have been played between those two players. 
For Martin, who averaged 11.5 minutes per game with the Aces in 2024, Nakase and Nyanin wanted to bring in someone Nakase was familiar with as a hard worker as Nakase coached Kate in Las Vegas this past season.
“I’m excited with Kate [Martin]. I grew a very close relationship when I was there with the Aces. She’s a very genuine person, but she’s also a culture changer. She really pours herself into her work and into her passion the way she plays,” said Nakase to reporters after the draft selections were publicized. 
Another aspect of the draft that has stood out so far was the sheer number of international players selected by Nakase, Nyanin, and the rest of Golden State’s brain trust. 
Of the 11 players selected &#8211; no one was chosen from the Seattle Storm &#8211; seven have experience playing for a team in their respective country or were drafted directly from international teams. Fagbenle (Great Britain), Carla Leite (France), Talbot (Australia), Zandalisini (Turkey and Italy), Rupert (France), Vanloo (Belgium), and Conde (Spain) make up the heavily international inaugural team. 
When asked if that was intentional, Nakase said it wasn’t until she started to get down on paper what players she wanted to see picked during the process that “half of them are not from the States,” but she added “that wasn’t my mindset. It was building the best team that I wanted to build.”
On the business end of that, though, comes the question mark that hangs over so many international picks—who will actually come over to play for the team? Nyanin told reporters about the uncertainty that her job in the coming months will include trying to pitch international players the chance to play in the Bay Area and getting to know the organization before making a big decision on their commitment headed into next summer. 
“I just wanted to make sure that they understand who I am, what we’re trying to build, who coach Natalie Nakase is, what she’s trying to build on the court, and then explain to them the Bay. I mean, I didn’t know anything about the Bay before I moved out here, having lived in five different countries, most of the time not being given the opportunity to make that choice; I always made the best of it,” said Nyanin of her thoughts on conversations with those players. 
With the goal of a championship in mind, this inaugural roster also included several WNBA champions—a part of the intentionality behind Nakase and Nyanin’s draft strategy of trying to pick winners and competitors. 
Thornton is the most recent victor amongst the group, having just won a championship with the New York Liberty in 2024. In addition to Thornton, the roster sports three other league champions—Fagbenle, Rupert, and Zandalisini. Veterans abound on this roster. However, the championship experience from Thornton, Rupert, Zandalisini, and Fagbenle can help make the transition smoother for the Valkyries as they ramp into competition on May 16 against the Los Angeles Sparks. 
One of the most exciting parts about witnessing the formation of the first expansion team since the Atlanta Dream were introduced to the league in 2008 is just how unfinished this team’s journey to tip-off is. Between having plenty of cap space to work with ahead of free agency and the fifth overall pick in a heavily stacked WNBA draft, the Valkyries are far from a settled image. That versatility will eventually become a solid competitive advantage if flexed correctly. 
WNBA reporter Candace Pedraza writes columns on <a href="http://wnba.com/">WNBA.com</a> throughout the season. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its teams.

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As the WNBA players battle it out on the court, they still bring the heat with their summer-inspired outfits in the tunnel. Continuing a survey of the top summer trends, the players have introduced more focus into their outfits with accessories, color coordination, and bold messaging. 

While holding sneakers in their pre-game outfits has become a way for players to debut new pairs of footwear, players are now planning their clothing to match their personalized designs. Under Armour athletes Kelsey Plum and Laeticia Amihere call attention to their PEs with their choice of shorts. Other players send messages through their choice of slogan baby tees or patterns on their materials. 

Other players are catching the last moments to wear trending summer styles, bringing oversized tops and the Beyoncé-inspired cowboy look into the tunnel. Moving away from classic athlete styles or pieces, discover how players are styling their pre-game looks through a unique, young, and distinctly female lens.

Players have been expressing the idea of girlhood through their baby tees, like Kamilla Cardoso's 'I'm Literally Just a Girl' top. Channeling Y2K styles through revived brands like Rickea Jackson's True Religion or Mikiah Herbert Harrigan's Ed Hardy baby tee, they enhance their throwback look with cargo miniskirts. 

Baby Tees

Holding their PE sneakers while doing their pre-game tunnel walks, players are coordinating their apparel to their footwear colorways. Under Armour athlete Laeticia Amihere wears patterns that pay homage to her cultural heritage while Kelsey Plum debuts a new fruit-inspired variation. Reebok athlete Angel Reese wears both apparel and footwear from her new collection, with shining jewelry and a Chanel purse-- all Angel's signature accessories. 

Shoe Coordination

The sports jersey has always been a hit in the tunnel, but last season's popular jersey dress has been swapped out for very oversized jerseys. Both Sydney Colson and Angel Reese pair their jerseys with equally large shorts and dramatic heels. Erica Wheeler and Rhyne Howard go the streetwear route with their jersey selection, but color coordinate their entire look to match.

Oversized Jersey

Veteran players A'ja Wilson and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton are taking bedazzled denim to the next level. While bedazzled or metallic elements in pre-game outfits have become extremely popular this season, these players have shining elements throughout their outfit-- hoop earrings, jewelry and sharp silver shoes.

Bedazzled Denim

Cowboy boots and Western-inspired styles have finally debuted in the tunnel this season. Representing different regions in the league, Jordan Horston, Crystal Dangerfield and Kayla Thornton all place their personal spin on these boots. Horston and Dangerfield fully commit to their look, with a hat, while Thornton goes for a more, city-ready denim look.

Cowboy Boots

WNBA reporter Kirsten Chen writes a lifestyle & fashion column on WNBA.com throughout the season and can be reached on Twitter through @hotgothwriter. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its clubs.

As the WNBA players battle it out on the court, they still bring the heat with their summer-inspired outfits in the tunnel. Continuing a survey of the top summer trends, the players have introduced more focus into their outfits with accessories, color coordination, and bold messaging. 



While holding sneakers in their pre-game outfits has become a way for players to debut new pairs of footwear, players are now planning their clothing to match their personalized designs. Under Armour athletes Kelsey Plum and Laeticia Amihere call attention to their PEs with their choice of shorts. Other players send messages through their choice of slogan baby tees or patterns on their materials. 



Other players are catching the last moments to wear trending summer styles, bringing oversized tops and the Beyoncé-inspired cowboy look into the tunnel. Moving away from classic athlete styles or pieces, discover how players are styling their pre-game looks through a unique, young, and distinctly female lens.





 WNBA reporter Kirsten Chen writes a lifestyle &amp; fashion column on WNBA.com throughout the season and can be reached on Twitter through @hotgothwriter. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its clubs.

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Latest

Monique Billings

POSITION:  FORWARD
HEIGHT:  6-4
WEIGHT:  192
BIRTHDATE:  MAY 2, 1996
BIRTHPLACE:  RIVERSIDE, CA
HIGHSCHOOL:  SANTIAGO (CORONA, CA)
COLLEGE:  UCLA
WNBA EXPERIENCE:  7
DRAFTED BY:  ATLANTA, 2018, SECOND ROUND (#15)
ACQUIRED: 2024 EXPANSION DRAFT VIA PHOENIX MERCURY
Career Highlights: 
<ul>
<li>Has appeared in 137 regular season games with 35 starts with an average of 19.3 minutes per game.</li>
<li>Played in five postseason games with Atlanta in 2018.</li>
<li>Career totals include 854 points, 822 rebounds, 113 assists, 111 steals and 71 blocks.</li>
<li>Has recorded nine double-doubles in her four-year career, four of which came in 2021.</li>
</ul>
2024 SEASON (PHOENIX MERCURY)
<ul>
<li>Billings concluded the 2024 campaign averaging 7.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists over 37 appearances.</li>
</ul>
2022 SEASON (ATLANTA DREAM)
<ul>
<li>Started in 8 of 23 games played.</li>
<li>Tallied 14 rebounds in her 2022 season debut at Dallas, adding 6 points, 2 steals and a block.</li>
<li>Scored 7 points with 8 rebounds in a win over Los Angeles (5/11).</li>
<li>Scored a season-high 8 points off four made field goals against Las Vegas (5/13).</li>
<li>First double-figure scoring game of the season with 10 points in a win over Indiana (5/15).</li>
<li>Came back after missing three games to pull down eight rebounds and pick up a steal and a block in a 27-point win over Phoenix (5/29).</li>
<li>Reached 100 career steals at Chicago (6/17).</li>
</ul>
2021 SEASON (ATLANTA DREAM) 
<ul>
<li>Started in 9 of 31 games played.</li>
<li>Played a career-high 739 total minutes (23.8 per game, second-most in her career).</li>
<li>Her 88 total offensive rebounds and 2.8 per game both ranked third among all players in the league this season.</li>
<li>First season with 100 made field goals, second with 200+ total rebounds.</li>
<li>Career-best 32 total assists, 37 steals and 32 blocks … Career-high 1.2 steals per game and 1.0 blocks per game.</li>
<li>One of just seven players in the league to average at least 1.1 steals per game and 1.0 blocks per game (joined by teammate Elizabeth Williams).</li>
<li>Started off the 2021 season setting a new career-high record with four blocks against Connecticut (5/14) and tying her career high record of 3 steals. She also went 6-for-6 from the charity stripe to lead both teams in free throws.</li>
<li>Her four blocks opening night was tied for the most of any player across the league in opening weekend.</li>
<li>Became the fourth different Dream player to record 4+ steals in a single quarter and the second this season (recorded all 4 of her steals against New York, 6/26, in the first quarter).</li>
<li>Recorded four double-doubles in 2021, three of which came in the Dream’s three games against Dallas: 10 PTS/11 REB vs. Dallas (5/27), 15 PTS/11 REB at Dallas (9/2), 12 PTS/14 REB at Dallas (9/5), 14 PTS/10 REB at Washington (9/10).</li>
<li>Made her way into the starting lineup in the latter part of the season, starting against Chicago (8/24), scoring in double-digits in 7 of those 9 games and recording three of her four double-doubles. In those 9 games she averaged 12.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks.</li>
<li>Milestones:
<ul>
<li>Played her 100th career game at Connecticut (7/9).</li>
<li>Reached 500 career rebounds with a team-leading 7 against Chicago (5/25).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
2020 SEASON (ATLANTA DREAM)
<ul>
<li>Appeared in all 22 games with 16 starts.</li>
<li>Set career records for total points (187), points per game (8.5), blocks (18) and blocks per game (0.8), assists (27) and assists per game (1.2), field goals made (68) and attempted (170), free throws made (51) and attempted (67), minutes (596) and minutes per game (27.1).</li>
<li>She ranked fourth in the league with 58 total offensive rebounds and 2.6 offensive boards per game, while her 187 total and 8.5 rebounds per game both ranked 7th in the league in 2020.</li>
<li>Started off the 2020 season with a career night against Dallas (7/26), leading the team with 30 points and 13 rebounds for her second career double-double.
<ul>
<li>Her 30 points led all scorers in the league opening weekend.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Saw her second double-digit scoring effort of the season against Phoenix (8/14), picking up 12 points with five rebounds and two steals.</li>
<li>Earned her second double-double of the season and third of her career with 10 points and 12 rebounds against Washington (8/19).</li>
<li>Recorded her third double-double in six games and fourth of the season with 12 points and 14 rebounds against Los Angeles (8/30).</li>
</ul>
2019 SEASON (ATLANTA DREAM)
<ul>
<li>Appeared in 29 of 34 games with two starts.</li>
<li>Posted her first career double-double with 10 points and a then-career-high 14 rebounds against Washington (6/23).</li>
<li>Led the team in total rebounds on eight occasions, and led in all three rebounding categories (offensive, defensive, total) three times.</li>
<li>Shot 100 percent from the free throw line with at least two attempted free throws seven times, including a team-leading 6-6 performance against Indiana (6/19).</li>
<li>Led the team in scoring twice, including a career-high 16-point outing against Los Angeles (7/23) and 15 points at Seattle (9/1).</li>
<li>Shot and made her first three-point attempt at Seattle (9/1).</li>
<li>Blocked a career-high three shots against Chicago (8/20) to lead the team.</li>
<li>Recorded a career-high 16 rebounds against Los Angeles (7/14), the most earned by any Dream player since Elizabeth Williams pulled down 16 boards in 2016 (vs. Phoenix, 9/11/16).</li>
<li>Set new career high records with nine offensive rebounds (vs. Los Angeles, 7/14) and 12 defensive rebounds (vs. Las Vegas, 9/5).</li>
</ul>
2018 SEASON (ATLANTA DREAM)
<ul>
<li>Selected 15th overall by the Dream in the 2018 WNBA Draft</li>
<li>Appeared in 32 games and averaged 11.0 minutes per game in regular season</li>
<li>Averaged 2.8 rebounds per game with a 44.1 FG percentage</li>
<li>Scored a season high of 10 points and 5 total rebounds, against Washington (7/15)</li>
<li>Tied her career high of 6 rebounds three times  </li>
</ul>
COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: 
<ul>
<li>Two-time All-Pac-12 and two-time All-Defensive Team Honoree by coaches and media</li>
<li>Ranks first in UCLA history with 228 blocks</li>
<li>Ranks second in school history with 1,159 rebounds and 677 free throws attempted</li>
<li>Ranks fourth in UCLA history with 435 free throws made</li>
<li>Ranks ninth in career scoring at UCLA with 1,761 points</li>
<li>Became only the third player in UCLA history and the 14th in the Pac-12 to score over 1,500 points and grab over 1,000 rebounds</li>
<li>Averaged 12.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 26.9 minutes per game during UCLA career</li>
<li>Started in 34 of 35 games played during the 2017-18 season</li>
<li>Posted double figures in 31 of 35 games during the 2017-18 season</li>
<li>Scored a career-high 30 points and a career-high tying six steals vs. Oregon in 2016-17 season</li>
<li>Recorded double figures in 32 of 34 games during 2016-17 season</li>
<li>Reached 1,000 point mark in her career in a home win vs. USC during 2016-17 season</li>
</ul>
PERSONAL: 
<ul>
<li>Monique Charice Billings… Parents are Chuck and Jane Billings. Has one sister, Andrea. Her hobbies include singing, modeling and thrift shopping and she majored in sociology.</li>
</ul>