Thought this had interesting historical perspectives and player viewpoints.

Jay Croucher and Trysta Krick review the WNBA Sixth Player of the Year Award. Janelle Salaun of the Golden State Valkyries appears to be the top contender, per Krick, as she's "the engine of the league's best bench."

How Gabby Williams became Valkyries’ go-to star: ‘What can I do more?’
By Harrison Rich, Staff Writer. July 3

The Golden State Valkyries practice had ended, but one player wasn’t finished. As her teammates emptied into the locker room and the practice court quieted, Gabby Williams walked over to a group of assistant coaches standing at the far-side basket, readying for her post-practice shooting session.

Williams shot an array of free throws, jumpers and 3-pointers from all around the floor. The workout, which lasted less than 15 minutes, has become a small but important routine for the 29-year-old forward after practices and before games, with a heavy focus on footwork.

“It’s a compact season, and so it’s really hard to find those days where you can rep things out,” Williams told the Chronicle after the June 23 shooting session. “So just maximizing my time, getting reps up.”

It’s this type of focus and attention to detail that has allowed Williams, who signed a three-year deal with Golden State this past offseason as its top free-agent acquisition, to reimagine her identity as an eighth-year pro. After largely being viewed as a defensive stopper to start her WNBA career, Williams is averaging a career-high 16.5 points per game this season and has cemented herself as the No. 1 option for a playoff contender.

“The best thing with Gabby is she continues to push herself with her shooting routine,” head coach Natalie Nakase said. “Every game, every practice, she goes: ‘What can I do more?’

“Gabby is probably the most coachable star — one of them — that I’ve been around. She’s always looking for accountability. She knows she has evolved into the leader of this group, which is not easy because she’s brand new, and she’s taken on leadership of very difficult conversations that she never had.” 

Williams has been able to show off her scoring ability more in overseas competition. She’s averaged at least 12 points per game in every EuroLeague season since 2019 and has been a featured option for Turkish club Fenerbahce since signing with the team in 2024. Her 15.5 points per game led the French national team at the 2024 Paris Olympics and ranked top 10 among women at the Games.  

But in the WNBA, scoring was never Williams’ primary focus. Across three seasons with the Chicago Sky and four with the Seattle Storm, Williams averaged 10 or more shots per game just once. 

While mulling options as a free agent, Williams listened as the Valkyries pitched her, in part, on an expanded offensive role. The idea of joining a team without a clear offensive star and a style that favors ball movement over all else enticed the veteran.

At Williams’ introductory news conference, Nakase proclaimed her as “one of the best two-way players in the world,” and Williams spoke about how Golden State’s system reminded her of a European style offense: “Very tactical, the ball moves, everybody eats kind of thing.”

The marriage has paid off through 20 games. Golden State owns the league’s third-best record (13-7) while Williams is enjoying the most productive season of her WNBA career.

“Every team I’m on it’s different, whether it’s the national team, overseas, or here,” Williams said. “National team, I take a lot more of the responsibilities on offense. Last couple years in Seattle, (that) wasn’t as much of my responsibility, so now that I have a bit more to do here (I’m) just feeling confident in it.”

When the Valkyries need a bucket down the stretch of a close game, they have a clear answer. That’s not something Golden State could say last season, when its offense tended to stall out late in tight contests. 

The perfect example came June 26 in a home win over the Atlanta Dream. Williams looked befuddled through the game’s first three quarters, recording just three points. The Valkyries were on the verge of a crushing loss. But Williams took over in the fourth, exploding for 13 points as Golden State outscored Atlanta 27-20 over the final 10 minutes to earn a three-point victory. 

“She’s developing into our closer. She wants to close,” Nakase said after the game. “She’s building a different level of confidence that I’ve never seen before.”

“She’s been amazing,” forward Kayla Thornton added. “Getting downhill, making open shots for us, attracting a lot of attention. That helps us get our shots.”

Williams’ sudden jump as a 3-point shooter has been particularly notable, where she’s taken leaps in both volume and efficiency. The 5-foot-11 forward is shooting 35.2% from three on 5.3 attempts per game. Before this season, she had never shot better than 32.3% from beyond the arc. And Williams is only 13 threes away from her career high just more than a quarter of the way through the season.

It’s rare for an eighth-year veteran to add major wrinkles to their game. But Williams is an anomaly, and it’s a testament to her work ethic and insatiable desire to get better. Asked whether she ever worried about hitting her peak as she nears 30, Williams joked, “Oh, am I old now?”

“There’s always room to grow, whether it’s physical or mental,” Williams said. “Maybe if people are looking at me as old now, or if my physical ability is going, then I get better at other things, making me more dangerous.”
For much of her career, Williams floated somewhere between standout player and star. The Valkyries believed in her upside, and this season she’s made it easy for the rest of the world to see.

“She’s our star. She’s definitely an All-Star,” Nakase said. “We’re just providing the stage for what we already knew.”

Here is the Olivia Miles eyeglass webpage: https://m.glassesusa.com/olivia-miles

Hey! Excited about the Capilene hoodies for women. Always wear a baseball cap and sunglasses.

Curious if you have any thoughts and/or experience with UPF and sun protection associated with Patagonia. Thanks!

Breanna Stewart's pitch to Connecticut's WNBA fans: Support New York Liberty after Sun exit

By Declan Walsh,
Staff Writer
June 10, 2026

*Breanna Stewart #30 of the New York Liberty looks to pass while defended by Diamond Miller #1 of the Connecticut Sun during the WNBA Commissioner's Cup game between New York Liberty and Connecticut Sun.*

Breanna Stewart #30 of the New York Liberty looks to pass while defended by Diamond Miller #1 of the Connecticut Sun during the WNBA Commissioner's Cup game between New York Liberty and Connecticut Sun.
Icon Sportswire/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart stands as arguably Geno Auriemma's most significant recruiting haul across four decades with UConn women's basketball, bringing over 2,600 points and four national titles to Storrs.

Now, Stewart is delivering her own recruiting pitch to the Basketball Capital of the World as the Connecticut Sun franchise prepares for relocation to Houston ahead of the 2027 season, leaving the Nutmeg State without a WNBA franchise for the first time in two decades. After an 87-80 victory over the Sun Monday evening, Stewart encouraged Connecticut's soon-to-be-stranded fan base to cheer on the Liberty going forward.

"It's incredible to be supported by these fans," Stewart said during Monday's post-game press conference. "Just knowing my journey in this state, from when I came to UConn and now being able to come back every single year, is really important. So, I appreciate them for kind of supporting me from afar and, listen: The Connecticut Sun fans, they can just cheer for the Liberty next season, right? We're the closest team."

Stewart explained that Monday's matchup wasn't as emotional for her, with the Liberty taking one last road trip to Connecticut in August. Still, she expressed disappointment that the WNBA will lack Connecticut representation in the foreseeable future.

"It's definitely a bittersweet moment, Stewart said. "It's really sad to see the team move on, but [I'm] happy for all the memories here that I've played, whether it was at UConn or playing against the Sun. And [I'm] just hoping that, while the franchise is leaving, hopefully there's going to still be more games here, whether it's a one-off or things like that, because these fans, they deserve it."

Column: Is it too soon to view the Golden State Valkyries as title contenders?

With the arrival of Justė Jocytė, the team that Ohemaa Nyanin and Natalie Nakase have constructed is finally complete

by Michelle Smith May 30, 2026

Golden State Valkyries guard Veronica Burton (22) directs her teammates during a game against the Phoenix Mercury at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on May 10, 2026.

Maybe it’s too soon to consider the possibility. Or maybe it’s not. Fifty-one regular-season games into franchise history, can we talk right now about the Golden State Valkyries as WNBA title contenders?

This is a conversation that once seemed like it would be more realistic in a year or two. Or in the five-year window that owner Joe Lacob gave his executives and coaches when the franchise was announced in October 2024. But are we ready to have it now, less than 10 games into the Valkyries’ second season?

Why not? The second-place Valkyries are preparing to take on the defending champion Las Vegas Aces in a nationally broadcast game that will show off the sport’s first billion-dollar franchise; its diehard fanbase; and a healthy, complete roster that has shown depth, versatility and grit.

With the arrival of 20-year-old guard Justė Jocytė, the Valkyries’ top pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, the team that general manager Ohemaa Nyanin and head coach Natalie Nakase have constructed is finally complete.

It’s also stable. At least, it’s a lot more stable than last season, when the EuroBasket tournament gave the Valks the churn-iest roster in the W. They still became the first expansion franchise in league history to make the playoffs in Year 1.

A season later, the pieces are in place, and they look really, really good together.

Golden State is off to a 5-2 start and coming off the most exciting win in franchise history on Thursday, a 90-88 nip-and-tuck win over the Indiana Fever that showed off its best attributes. A 25-point game by point guard Veronica Burton that also included a career-high five blocks. Nineteen points each from Gabby Williams and Janelle Salaün. The defense holding Fever stars Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston to a combined 7-for-23 shooting night. Collecting 11 blocked shots as a team and stifling Indiana down the stretch.

And still, the best may be yet to come.

“We’ve had three practices together as a healthy team,” Nakase told reporters before Thursday’s game. “It’s still early having them all in one gym. I’m looking for the connections being made. I am looking behind the scenes. I am looking at the communication, the connections at practice, chatting with each other at the practice table.”

On the court, the Valkyries rank first in the league in scoring defense (78.0 points allowed per game), first in 3-pointers made per game (10.9), third in turnovers forced per game (14.1) and third in opponent field-goal percentage (41.7%).

The balanced scoring and fundamental unselfishness of this team shows in the fact that 11 players are averaging at least 10 minutes per game. On Memorial Day, at home against the Connecticut Sun, the Valks tied a league record with 12 players scoring and put up a season-high 53 bench points.

Meanwhile, the addition of Williams, with her versatility and ability to be a defensive disruptor, in free agency has been seamless in terms of both style and substance.

Still, getting to this point, seven games into the season, has not been without its bumps.

Iliana Rupert’s pregnancy was surprising, leaving the Valkyries without a true big inside.
Ballhalla didn’t like the draft night trade of rookie Flau’jae Johnson to Seattle, or the subsequent waiving of the player they got for her, Marta Suarez. And it definitely didn’t appreciate fan favorite Kate Martin getting cut right before the start of the regular season. But Golden State now has the players it wants on the floor.

This franchise is built on its identity as much as on any star player, even with the seamless addition of Williams and as Burton’s profile rises across the league. A team of defensive grinders willing to embrace their roles, be ready when their numbers are called and play to Nakase’s vision is coalescing into something worth watching every night.

“When you add a player like Gabby Williams, you are adding somebody with championship experience and somebody who can play a lot of different roles,” Fever head coach Stephanie White told reporters. “And I’ve always been a big fan of Veronica Burton and Tip Hayes [who played for White in Connecticut].

“This roster is good from top to bottom, and they play so well together. … There is a toughness and a grit about them. They make you earn everything on both ends of the floor.”

The WNBA is full of teams in transition this season, with new players, coaching changes, key injuries and chemistry issues. Golden State has more players back — nine — than any team in the league. Nakase is cementing her coaching bona fides. And the Valkyries are proving that the “super team” model is not the only one that can win.

“The most important thing is approaching each game with that winning mindset and with attention to detail,” Burton said. “The buy-in is incredible. Every single night, it’s someone new, it’s a different rotation and we just have so much trust in each other. We support each other. We ride for each other.”

The ride, and the road ahead, is long. It’s getting more compelling by the day. And it might well be long enough to support a title run.

Michelle Smith has covered women’s basketball nationally for more than three decades. A 2024 inductee into the U.S. Basketball Writer’s Hall of Fame, Smith has worked for ESPN.com, The Athletic, the... More by Michelle Smith

This former WNBA MVP’s number will soon hang in the rafters at Mohegan Sun Arena

By Kels Dayton | wdayton@courant.com | Hartford Courant

PUBLISHED: May 26, 2026 at 5:16 PM EDT

Jonquel Jones‘ No. 35 will soon hang from the rafters at Mohegan Sun Arena, as the Connecticut Sun honor the former WNBA MVP and five-time All-Star.

Jones will be honored before the Sun’s home game against her current team, the New York Liberty, on June 8 at 7 p.m. She’s one of six players and coaches who will be honored as a ‘Sun Legend’ during the team’s final season in Connecticut.

“This means a lot to me,” Jones said in a release. “Connecticut’s the place where everything started for me in the WNBA. It’s a place that has a lot of special memories and is near and dear to my heart. I’m just really happy and excited, and I can’t wait to celebrate with all the other people who will be inducted as Sun Legends as well.”

Jones played for the Sun from 2016-22, and led the franchise to the WNBA Finals in 2019 and ’22, though it never captured that elusive championship.

While with the Sun, she won MVP, Most Improved Player, All-Defense, Sixth Player of the Year, and was a blocks and rebounding champion. She helped the Liberty win a WNBA title in 2024.

Jones’ No. 35 will join current Sun Legends Taj McWilliams-Franklin (11), Margo Dydek (12), Nykesha Sales (42), Katie Douglas (23), Lindsay Whalen (13), and Asjha Jones (15) in the rafters at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Hi! I searched this sub and elsewhere. Would you please recommend any interviews, documentaries or other insights about mountains and mountaineering on the continent of Africa? Thank you!

Established in 1934, the Leadership Award (TLA) offers a multi-year scholarship. It supports visionary, innovative, and inspiring leaders who make a positive impact on their communities. Our scholars are known for their intellectual curiosity and creativity, demonstrating initiative and self-awareness.

As a Leadership Award scholar, how are you going to make your mark at UC Berkeley?

For Incoming Students - This opportunity is only for students who have been recently admitted to UC Berkeley (first-year students and junior transfers)

 

Eligibility Requirements:

• Completed high school, GED, or community college requirements in California
• Incoming first year or community college junior transfer student for Fall 2026 - Spring 2027
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• Have financial need (Pell Grant recipient)
• Full-time enrollment at UC Berkeley
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