SEATTLE — It was an emotional few days leading up to the Golden State Valkyries’ opener on Friday. The team had to say a difficult goodbye and an unexpected hello.
That goodbye was to guard Kate Martin, a fan favorite and emotional leader on the 2025 team who had been waived in Thursday’s final roster crunch. Martin, who appeared in 42 games with the Valkyries last season, is unlikely to return to the team this year.
“It was very emotional, a lot of heartache,” head coach Natalie Nakase said before the Valkyries tipped off against the Seattle Storm. “Kate was our family member and someone we cared about deeply. And we still do care deeply about Kate. The special thing about Kate is when you have a conversation with her, she makes you feel like you’re the most important person in the room.”
One thing Nakase learned last year in her first season as a head coach was to “let players sit in their emotions. Let them feel it,” which is what she and Martin did.
“It’s very hard because we are trying to construct the best team,” Nakase said.
With heartache comes clarity about the roster’s structure. Martin’s departure makes room for Kaitlyn Chen on the roster.
Chen is a true backup point guard, a facilitator needed behind starting point guard Veronica Burton. In an offense that thrives on ball movement, the point guard as the head of the snake is a crucial job.
Nakase has been in Chen’s ear constantly throughout training camp.
“I feel like she puts a lot of trust and a lot of onus on us as point guards, so we sort of have to do that,” Chen said. “It’s just us getting people in the right spots and putting them in positions where they’ll be successful.”
The unexpected hello was to a new part of the Valkyries family. Iliana Rupert’s pregnancy announcement appeared to be timed within days of the final roster decision.
“Hearing that news that she’s pregnant, we were unbelievably happy for her,” Nakase said. “The first thing I wanted to let her know was that nothing changes here for you. We love you, we care about you, and you will always be a Golden State Valkyrie. You’re always welcome here.”
Guard Tiffany Hayes has already been talking to Rupert’s stomach, Nakase said.
“I’m just like, I don’t know that the baby can hear you yet. But it’s really cute to see how we’ve been kind of taking in all this.”
On the court, Rupert’s departure changes the look of the team and the center position. The Valkyries signed guard Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda, who had been waived during training camp, to a replacement contract Friday.
Veteran Kiah Stokes steps into the primary center role and Laeticia Amihere, typically a power forward, will slide into more minutes at center. The team will play smaller, allowing them to lean more into a quick, switching defense and exploit matchups.
“I mean, I’m 6-foot-4. Whenever I have the opportunity to use my height and my length, I’m going to do that,” Amihere said. “Whatever position they put me in, I know I’m equipped and that I’ve played it before.”