​Golden State’s Golden State Valkyries are continuing to defy projections with an eye-opening midseason assessment that originally ran on The Sporting News and now includes a reminder that the team’s remarkable first season is impossible to overlook. Nobody anticipated an expansion franchise becoming one of the season’s hottest stories in the WNBA this year, but the Valkyries have swiftly rewritten that script.
CBS Sports unveiled its midseason report cards recently, and among the biggest beneficiaries was not the defending champion Las Vegas Aces or the Minnesota Lynx, but the league’s newest franchise. The Valkyries earned a solid A grade after surpassing nearly every preseason expectation, underscoring how quickly their ascent has become a dominant narrative.
As the season’s midpoint approaches, the Valkyries sit at 15-7 and feature one of the league’s stingiest defenses. CBS Sports highlighted that defensive identity as the primary driver of their success, noting Golden State ranks second in defensive rating and consistently forces tough shots while generating turnovers. This defensive tenacity has powered a five-game winning streak and firmly positioned the Valkyries in the championship conversation, marking a dramatic turnaround for a franchise that many assumed would be essentially building toward the future rather than competing for titles.
One of the season’s most impactful additions has been Gabby Williams. CBS Sports credited Williams with elevating the team’s ceiling and transforming Golden State from a compelling expansion story into a bona fide contender. The Valkyries have adopted a physical, relentless style that unsettles opponents, and their depth allows them to wear teams down over four quarters. Even on nights when the offense isn’t clicking, the defense keeps them in games.
The report does acknowledge a notable obstacle standing in the way of true championship status: Golden State is still winless against the league’s top two measuring-stick teams, the Minnesota Lynx and Las Vegas Aces, going 0-5 in those matchups. That hurdle doesn’t negate the progress they’ve made; it simply crafts a compelling storyline for the second half of the season. If the Valkyries can finally snag a win against one of those elite teams, the expansion club could rise from one of the WNBA’s best stories to one of its foremost championship threats.
At the season’s midpoint, CBS Sports made one clear point: the Valkyries have already exceeded expectations and are no longer sneaking up on anyone. The eye-opening performance and rapid ascent have redefined what a WNBA expansion team can achieve, turning Golden State’s early-season dream into a sustained, title-chasing reality.
As the season continues, the question remains whether the Valkyries can translate their strong defense, balanced roster, and late-season resilience into postseason success. If they can break through against the league’s top teams, they could cement their place as not just a surprising story, but a legitimate championship contender.