Valkyries mock draft: Which players will the WNBA expansion team take Friday?

The Golden State Valkyries will add the first members of their inaugural roster through the WNBA expansion draft Friday, able to pick players from all 12 teams. The dozen teams will be allowed to protect six players each, and almost all of the rest of their talent is fair game for the Valkyries to select, including one unrestricted free agent from across the league’s established teams.

Though the Valkyries will be able to cut or trade anyone they take in the expansion draft, they likely would be stuck with those contracts unless other teams take those players off waivers. The Valkyries have the option of passing on selecting from any team.

The WNBA did not publicly release the protected lists, so some of this is guesswork, but here is one way it could unfold:


Atlanta Dream: Haley Jones, guard
Chicago Sky: Dana Evans, guard
Connecticut Sun: Olivia Nelson-Ododa, forward
Dallas Wings: Carla Leite, guard
Indiana Fever: Damiris Dantas, forward
Las Vegas Aces: Kate Martin, forward
Los Angeles Sparks: Zia Cooke, guard
Minnesota Lynx: Alissa Pili, forward
New York Liberty: Kayla Thornton, forward
Phoenix Mercury: Celeste Taylor, guard
Seattle Storm: Pass
Washington Mystics: Brittney Sykes, guard



https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/article/valkyries-mock-draft-players-wnba-expansion-team-19954617.php