Free Agency 2026

The following is a press release from the Golden State Valkyries:

The Golden State Valkyries announced Monday that they have re-signed All-Star forward Kayla Thornton to a one-year contract and signed center Kiah Stokes to a multi-year deal. The Valkyries have also announced that they have signed forward Cate Reese to a training camp contract.

Thornton, 33, earned her first career WNBA All-Star selection this past season, becoming the first All-Star in Valkyries history and just the seventh undrafted player in WNBA history to receive the honor. The forward led the team with career highs of 14.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, scoring in double figures in 18 of her 22 games played. A 10-year veteran, Thornton was named Western Conference Player of the Week on June 17 before capping her landmark season with an All-Star nod. She was selected by Golden State in the 2024 WNBA Expansion Draft from the New York Liberty, where she was part of the 2024 WNBA Championship team.

“Kayla had an extraordinary season for this franchise and for herself,” said Valkyries General Manager, Ohemaa Nyanin. “She became our first-ever All-Star, and also stepped up as a leader for a new roster from day one. Kayla brings relentless work ethic and an unshakeable belief in this team.”

A three-time WNBA Champion, Stokes, 33, is averaging 3.3 points and 5.4 rebounds to go with a 48.5 field goal percentage across her 10-year WNBA career. The 6-3 center joined Las Vegas in 2021 and played under then-assistant coach Natalie Nakase for three seasons, winning a pair of WNBA Championships together. Internationally, Stokes is a EuroLeague champion, two-time Turkish Cup champion, and four-time Turkish Super League champion with Fenerbahçe.

Stokes was drafted 11th overall by the New York Liberty in the 2015 WNBA Draft, earning WNBA All-Rookie and WNBA All-Defensive Second Team honors. Stokes is a three-time NCAA Champion at the University of Connecticut and was named the AAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2015.

“Kiah is a strong defender and a great addition to our team,” said Nyanin. “She has won three WNBA championships and was coached by Coach Nakase in Las Vegas, so she understands what we are building here and what it takes to win.”

Reese, 26, averaged 15.4 points and 10.6 rebounds across nine EuroCup games for Poland’s MB Zaglebie Sosnowiec this past season. In 2023 she began her professional career with the Gold Coast Rollers of the Australian North league where she posted 22.9 points, 8.4 boards and 1.5 assists per game. A four-time All-Pac-12 honoree, Reese played five seasons at Arizona where she earned Associated Press All-American Honorable Mention recognition and was named to the 2023 Katrina McClain Award Top 10 List, recognizing the nation’s top power forwards.

“Cate is a versatile scorer, a physical rebounder,” said Nyanin. “She has shown incredible resilience throughout her career, and we are excited to welcome her to the Bay.”