The WNBA is breaking records and redefining the future of sports — and now, San Francisco is part of that evolution. The Golden State Valkyries are the league’s newest expansion team and they represent a new chapter in the Bay Area’s basketball legacy.
KALW is following the entire first season through our podcast BOUNCE: The Valkyries First Season in the Bay.
Click the button above to listen!
Show Transcript:
Intro:
HOST ERIN LIM: The night finally arrived. Something fans anticipated for generations. The … First … Game.
Outside the Chase Center, Thrive City was lit. A party atmosphere with a DJ, pop-a-shots, Valkyries violet colored balloons, and all kinds of entertainment. Sara Brande took trains from Oakland to get to the celebration.
SARA BRANDE: I’m trans and non-binary. And for me women’s sports has always been a place of safety. Of love, of acceptance, of joy. And to see 20,000 people, to see all that love, and all that joy, and all that pride, it makes me feel not only safe, but seen, and loved, and like the Bay is my place.
Sounds of team intros and song ‘Blow The Whistle”
HOST ERIN LIM: Inside, the party continued as game time approached. A hype video showed Bay icons like the Golden Gate Bridge as if through a Norse mythology lense. They called it Ballhalla. Tiffany Hayes joined her teammates in the center of the court and hyped the crowd.
TIFFANY HAYES: We want to give you all a show. We want to give y’all our heart. We want to give everything to this team, to this organization. And we’re all grateful to be here. So thank you again for being here, let’s have some fun!
Sounds of crowd cheering
HOST ERIN LIM: And finally, 28 years after the launch of the WNBA, the first game in the Bay tipped off. It wasn’t long before forward Kayla Thornton got on the stat sheet.
HIGHLIGHT REEL: Shot clock going down. Thornton. Rolls it in for the first bucket in Golden State Valkyries history.
HOST ERIN LIM: The packed house of more than 18,000 fans cheered everything. And at the end of the first quarter, the Valkyries led the Sparks by a point. It was still close at the midway point, when a Bay Area rapper from Vallejo provided the franchise’s first halftime show.
HALFTIME ANNOUNCER: The one and only E-40!
HOST ERIN LIM: The Sparks started to pull away in the 3rd quarter, taking a 15 point lead. But then on the same court where Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry created countless memories, one of his Valkyries counterparts made her own magic.
HIGHLIGHT REEL: Van Loo. A big three for Julie Van Loo! Van Loo pulls up for three! Julie Van Loo! Van Loo’s hit back-to-back threes. Ha ho! Three straight for Van Loo!
Sound of cheering
HOST ERIN LIM: The fans were delirious. But the rest of the game didn’t go the Valkyries’ way. The Sparks won, led by star Kelsey Plum’s WNBA opening game record 37 points. Really though, it hardly mattered.
Sound of singing “The Star-Spangled Banner”
GOAPELE: I feel like even just that they’re here and folks are showing this kind of support, it’s already a win.
HOST ERIN LIM: That’s Oakland-born singer Goapele who sang the national anthem before the game.
GOAPELE: I think it’s going to give so many young women options, and not even just in sports. ‘Cause I think it gets people out of stereotypical thinking in every field.
HOST ERIN LIM: Ok, what’s your name?
JOJO: My name is Jojo.
HOST ERIN LIM: And how old are you Jojo?
JOJO: I am seven.
HOST ERIN LIM: Do you like basketball?
JOJO: Yes.
HOST ERIN LIM: What’s your favorite part of basketball?
JOJO: That when you score, not only do you get points, but your friends celebrate you.
HOST ERIN LIM: And what are you going to tell your friends about tonight’s game?
JOJO: I got to have lots of fun with my daddy.
Sounds of crowd cheering.
HOST ERIN LIM: As folks left the Chase Center, they heard DJ Bitesize blasting party music in Thrive City. Icona Pop sang “I don’t care … I love it!” People jumped, laughed, danced and cheered. It was just a game… but it’s so much more than that.
– – –
Host Erin Lim and Reporter Demetrius Johnson
HOST ERIN LIM: This is Bounce the Valkyrie's First season in the Bay. I'm your host, Erin Lim, and I'm sitting here with my podcasting partner, Demetrius Johnson, AKA Meech. We call him Mech around here. We're coming off of the very first game of the Golden State, Valkyrie at Chase Center. How are you feeling? Demetrius?
REPORTER DEMETRIUS JOHNSON: I think just leading up to this game, the anticipation like. This is the first game in their franchise history. It's like an amazing experience getting your press pass, right? Getting the press pass and just getting into, uh, the Valkyrie stadium and then seeing being court side before anyone even showed up, before the fans got there. Being able to just take the moment in. Then of course once the fans get there, you start to feel the energy. But how about yourself?
HOST ERIN LIM: I live in San Francisco and, um, ramping up to this game like I was talking about the Valkyrie and people are really excited about them or maybe they don't even know about them and it's fun to talk about them and, and kind of surprise people that there's a WNBA team here and they're playing at Chase, which blows people's mind.
So, walking into Chase, it was, it was a scene and the word I am gonna go with this season is just vibe. And that's how it felt when I walked in. People were happy. People were just in a mood. Like just there to celebrate no matter what the outcome of the game would be. That's how I felt walking in there.
REPORTER DEMETRIUS JOHNSON: Yeah. I would say too, once I got there, I start to really feel like, man, I'm part of like history
HOST ERIN LIM: And you are on the floor
REPORTER DEMETRIUS JOHNSON: Exactly that too. First time. First time on the floor. Ever in my life, like. I feel like I, I mean, I have a little story. Um, I was trying to figure out like where I should be at once every, all the fans came in once the rest of the media came in as well.
Like, where, where do I like belong? But I'm still supposed to be courtside. I got this goal, I got this mission. I'm supposed to take pictures. I'm supposed to capture all this audio, but now everyone's coming in and I'm like, oh, wait a minute. Do I. Am I supposed to stay here?
And um, and it's funny 'cause then I end up talking to like, uh, one of the security guards and they basically told me to get a chair from the storage room. So we kind of go on this little mission through Chase and uh, we get to this secret storage room. One security guard leads me to another security guard, leads me to another.
They're just trying to help me in some type of way. I get into the storage room is just random chairs. No one kind of gives me any direction. They're just like. Well, you're here and I'm just like, well, I'm gonna grab this chair. So I just, I just chucked this chair along with me till I can, um, you know, be able to still sit court side, but not be in anyone's way as well. So, just, yeah, it's just crazy. It's crazy when I think about it.
HOST ERIN LIM: Uh, yeah. Well, you had some really, uh, uh. Interesting people sitting courtside around you. I mean, Steve Kerr was there, coach of the Golden State Warriors. You had Ali Wong, one of my favorite comedians, born and raised in San Francisco, sitting down there.
REPORTER DEMETRIUS JOHNSON: A bunch of Golden State Warriors players was there. Then I got like family members, like texting me, calling me, and they're like, you want me to describe everything to them? And I'm like, man, no, I gotta talk about it first before I could describe it to you.
HOST ERIN LIM: Oh, they gotta, they gotta listen to the podcast.
REPORTER DEMETRIUS JOHNSON: You gotta listen to the podcast. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. I mean…
HOST ERIN LIM: All I'll say is this, this season's gonna be really interesting. It's historic. We're gonna have a lot of stories to tell, a lot of people to talk to. Um, speaking of. We should talk about your first feature in this series.
REPORTER DEMETRIUS JOHNSON: Yeah, it was just about telling the history that led up to this moment, to the first ever Valkyrie's regular season game. Right. So that's what the, that's what the piece is about. And of course it's supposed to hype you though. It's supposed to hype you up though.
HOST ERIN LIM: Alright, well let's get into it. This is “The Rise of the Valkyries” by Demetrius Johnson, AKA Meech.
– – –
Story Transcript: The Rise of the Golden State Valkyries
NBC NEWS: Ok this exciting the Bay Area is about to go pro again, the WNBA newest team will call Chase center home.
NBC NEWS: Ok this is exciting, REPORTER DEMETRIUS JOHNSON: You know that’s right… The WNBA has its first expansion team in 17 years and they’re playing right here in the Bay. The Golden State Valkyries.
Clip from first game
REPORTER DEMETRIUS JOHNSON: It’s a sign of how far the W has come since its inaugural season in 1997. Just 8 teams… only four of them are still around today.
Sounds from WNBA Inaugural Game and basketball dribbling.
REPORTER DEMETRIUS JOHNSON: Before there was a draft stage…There was the blacktop. Just a ball and a dream. A dream sparked by legends. From Lisa Leslie’s first dunk... To Sue Bird’s dominance…To Candace Parker redefining what it means to be versatile, clutch, and elite. These are some of the women who paved the way. So this new generation could run… players like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.
Angel Reese: I think so many people are watching women's basketball right now.
REPORTER DEMETRIUS JOHNSON: This is what the Valkyries are stepping into.
Last season on Bounce, we told the story of the Golden State Warriors’ final days in Oakland..
A team that built a dynasty. Four championships. Four rings. Steph. Klay. Draymond. Even KD. Legends who turned a franchise into a global powerhouse. But a lot has changed since then. New arena. New chapter. And now… owner Joe Lacob has a new mission: a sister team in the Valkyries.
The faces on the court may be different, but one thing remains the same —Mr. Joe wants to win. It’s the WNBA’s turn for a little of his Mamba mentality.
JOE LACOB: Going forward. As you know, the goal of this franchise, uh, here I go, I'm gonna do it again. Uh, our goal is to win championships and frankly, within the first five years we've done it with our G League team. We did it with the Warriors and shoot, what the hell? Let's just announce that as a goal right here. Once again, put a little pressure on from day one, uh, win the championship, if not more within the first five years. So welcome.
REPORTER DEMETRIUS JOHNSON: But, before we talk more about the Golden State Valkyries… we have to acknowledge women’s basketball in the Bay? Now that’s legacy. Starting with Stanford. One of the most dominant programs in college hoops history — men or women. They’ve made over 30 NCAA tournament appearances…been to the Final Four 15 times…And brought home national championships in 1990, 92… and again in 2021.
Led by the legendary Tara VanDerveer – Who just happens to be the winningest coach in women’s college basketball history. Come on. Stanford didn’t just build a program. They built a pipeline. Feeding the WNBA with greatness long before expansion ever came back around.
And just up the freeway? Sacramento had a WNBA squad of its own. The Monarchs. One of the original teams in the league. The champs in 2005. Way before there was a beam to light.
A team built on grit, defense, and passion. They packed Arco Arena. They made noise. And they gave Northern California a reason to believe in women’s pro ball… But then they left. And fans were absolutely devastated.
SACRAMENTO MONARCHS FAN: First off I’ll like to say you know shame on you for how you handled the situation, um pulling the plug on the Sacramento Monarchs
REPORTER DEMETRIUS JOHNSON: From the day the Monarchs left fans have been wondering if they’ll ever return.
But for now I guess the passing of the Sacramento Monarchs has led to the birth of Golden State Valkyries. A name inspired by warrior women of mythology. Valkyries President Jess Smith gives us the low down.
JESS SMITH: And so the Valkyrie, what's beautiful about the name is it is a collective. It's a number of things coming together. To make possible, what folks said was impossible.
REPORTER DEMETRIUS JOHNSON: The team put a lot of thought into their symbol and of course what it should symbolize. President Jess Smith said it had to feature a silhouette of the Bay Bridge.
SMITH: For us, the Bay Area has the bridge connecting both sides. We wanna make sure that we're inclusive on all fronts.
REPORTER DEMETRIUS JOHNSON: There’s 13 lines across the logo because the Valkyries are the 13th team in the league.
SMITH: We take that really seriously in what this moment is for the W and our opportunity to join and expand and, and show people what we're about, which we have big aspirations for.
REPORTER DEMETRIUS JOHNSON: And the whole thing looks like the tip of a sword, coming down. Valkyrie style.
SMITH: The power of the valkyrie. You know, there's a lot there.
REPORTER DEMETRIUS JOHNSON: There is a lot there, but a logo doesn’t win you championships. To build a championship legacy you’ve got to start with step one.
You need someone who can see the bigger picture before the pieces even hit the board. Before a coach draws up a play… even before a single player suits up… yeah you need a GM who knows how to build.
And that’s where the Valkyries made their first big move. Just over a year ago, they hired Ohemaa Nyanin. A rising force in the front office.
OHEMAA NYANIN: I think for me uh coming into this it’s all about people.
REPORTER DEMETRIUS JOHNSON: She’s worked with USA Basketball and she’s spent over five years with the New York Liberty most recently as the team’s assistant general manager. She’s got vision, leadership and she’s ready to shape this team from the ground up.
NYANIN: Were being strategic and competitive, and um, you know, I think for me and Mr. Joe, there is a line that he said that is in my mind, when I go to sleep when I wake up, which is we need to win a championship in the next five years. So, um, we are building the building blocks to do that.
REPORTER DEMETRIUS JOHNSON: That’s the mindset. That’s the energy. This ain’t no soft launch, they’re coming for it all. And now that the GM’s in place, it’s time for step two. You can’t build a dynasty without a leader on the sidelines. A coach with a vision, toughness, and the respect to guide a brand new squad into battle. So let’s meet the Golden State Valkyries head coach, Natalie Nakase.
NATALIE NAKASE: I think for me, what excites me is just the opportunity, right. To continue the winning culture of the Warriors. Like look around. In this building, there has been numerous of blood, sweat, and tears invested in this building by champions, right? So for me, I gotta match that if not more. And so I'm just really excited again to pay respect to what has already been here and now to continue to build, you know, our own story.
REPORTER DEMETRIUS JOHNSON: You’ll hear more about Coach Nakase – who’s the first-ever Asian American head coach in WNBA history – in the next episode. But for now it’s on to step three.
We got the GM. We got the head coach. Now it’s time to find the ones who’ll suit up. The ones who’ll bring the Valkyries to life. Because before you chase banners. You need players who believe in the mission. Players who dream big, and grind even harder.
ANNOUNCER: History about to happen. The Golden State Valkyrie's first ever pick is about to be announced by the Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, back at the podium for pick number five.
REPORTER DEMETRIUS JOHNSON: The Valkyries selected Justė Jocytė, from Lithuania. She’s young, gifted, and already battle-tested overseas. A playmaker with a Steph like 3 and she’s not stepping into this alone. The Valkyries have built a foundation around proven talent: Kayla Thornton, a 9 year veteran and a WNBA champion.
Sound of announcer sharing “The New York Liberty are WNBA champions.”
REPORTER DEMETRIUS JOHNSON: Tiffany Hayes, sixth woman of the year with veteran leadership and an All-Star pedigree.
Sound of announcer sharing: “Tiffany Hayes awarded sixth woman of the year.”
REPORTER DEMETRIUS JOHNSON: And Monique Billings, holding it down in the paint with energy, boards, and experience.
This roster is a blend of grit, skill, ambition.
The Valkyries are joining a WNBA that keeps raising the bar in talent, ticket sales, and investment. Mr. Joe spoke about this growth during the press conference where he announced the Valkyries new training facility.
LACOB: There's a lot of reasons why we did this, but the potential is enormous and we need to provide them with all the resources they need and deserve.
REPORTER DEMETRIUS JOHNSON: This is huge for the Valkyries, not every WNBA team has their very own training facility.
LACOB: And so we're doing this right and we're gonna do every aspect of it, right. And we're gonna build what I believe will be the greatest. And honestly most valuable women's sports organization anywhere in the world, in any sport. That's my goal. That's our goal. Woo!
REPORTER DEMETRIUS JOHNSON: You can feel that foundation taking shape. The GM is locked in. The coach is ready. The players are here. The training facility is elite. Everything’s in motion. But a team is nothing without the people who believe in it. So we hit the streets to hear from the fans. The ones already rocking with the Valkyries before the first tip-off. I spoke to Bryan Schiller, who is optimistic but also realistic about this upcoming season.
BRYAN SCHILLER: So I think that even though this first year it's gonna be a challenge because quite frankly, right, we're in expansion draft, it's our first year, we didn't really get to attract the type of free agents that we wanted to. I think this is more of like a 3, 4, 5 year plan. And if fans stay on, it's gonna be crazy.
REPORTER DEMETRIUS JOHNSON: This is a startup in every sense. No history. No superstars… yet. But what they do have is momentum — and a city hungry for it. I got a chance to speak to Ring YB, who gets her name for rocking a chain with all of the championship rings the Warriors have won, a Warriors superfan, but she can’t wait to be a Valkyrie superfan as well.
RING YB: Because it doesn't matter if they play the game. I am going to be a super fan of the Valkyrie. If they're 15th every year, if they're number one every year, it doesn't matter because when you love and respect and are a part of a team, you're a part of the team no matter how well they do.
REPORTER DEMETRIUS JOHNSON: Now that’s real love. That’s the kind of loyalty you can’t fake — ride or die, no matter the record. And clearly, that energy is contagious. Because before the Valkyries even played a single game, 22,000 people put down season ticket deposits. Yes 22,000.
Golden State showed up early, and they’re showing out. The Valkyries haven’t just made history, they’ve already built a movement. But this is the Bay Area. And out here, we don’t just celebrate moments. We chase banners. We’ve got the fans. We’ve got the foundation. Now it’s time to hoop. Because if you want to win it all… you gotta play like it.
– – –
Show Credits:
BOUNCE is a production of KALW public radio. Our theme music was made by Daoud Anthony. Artwork is by Illuminaries and the Bay Area Mural Project with help from Charles Lighthouse. Thanks to KPIX+ for use of their broadcast sound. And to the Golden State Valkyries for providing access and support.
Our team includes Isabel Angell, Justin Ebrahimi, Galnadgee Joe-Johnson, Truc Nguyen, James Rowlands, Molly Blair Salyer, and Victor Tence. Ben Trefny is executive producer. Demetrius Johnson is co-producer. Erin Lim is co-producer and the host of BOUNCE season two.
– – –
Tune in June 3rd for BOUNCE Episode 2:
HOST ERIN LIM: We’re just getting started. Next time, on Bounce, we’re going to talk to the boss. Natalie Nakase is the first Asian American head coach in the WNBA.
COACH NATALIE NAKASE: When I looked up and I looked around, I was like, ‘Wow, there’s a lot of Asian Americans and even some girls that were Japanese Americans.’ And so it’s special. Especially when you can hear them say, “I want to be like her.” I don’t really hear that daily. To understand that I can make an impact on someone’s life to inspire them, there’s no better feeling, really.
HOST ERIN LIM: We’ll get to know the woman who leads the team … on the next Bounce.
Thanks for listening to our podcast. We’ll have new episodes every other Tuesday through the end of the season. Subscribe now, rate us, review us, and please spread the word.
– – –
Hidden Feature:
HOST ERIN LIM: Alright, Ben, are you gonna tell the E-40 story?
PRODUCER BEN TREFNY: (LAUGHING) Do I have to?
HOST ERIN LIM: Yes!
"PRODUCER BEN TREFNY: Hey, can I share our podcast about Valkyries with you? We're making a new podcast about the Valkyries...
E-40: Okay! What you need me to do?
PRODUCER BEN TREFNY: Oh, would you share a thought about it? [Mic turns off!]"
HOST ERIN LIM: And I was like, “Wow, this is gonna be ‘Radio Gold.’”
PRODUCER BEN TREFNY: Next time, Erin! Stay tuned!
HOST ERIN LIM: I will! I will. We all will.
