The Golden State Valkyries have officially signed Temi Fagbenle, who they selected in their expansion draft in December after she was left unprotected by the Indiana Fever.
Former Indiana Fever standout officially signs with Golden State Valkyries
Temi Fagbenle, who the Vaklyries selected from the Fever in their December expansion draft, has officially signed a contract.
Photo by Harry How/Getty Images
Noa Dalzell is a senior writer covering the WNBA and all of women’s basketball for Breakaway, SB Nation’s women’s sports vertical, as well as the Celtics for CelticsBlog.
Fagbenle, a 32-year-old veteran center, averaged 6.4 points and 4.7 rebounds in 22 games last season in Indiana. She started twice for the Fever in the playoffs and became a key rotation player — establishing herself as a fast-paced player who
She has spent the last few seasons overseas, and currently plays for the Turkish club Beskitas, where she averages a team-high 18.2 points on 57.8% shooting along with 8.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists. She’s also shooting 30.2% from three.
The move was made official on the WNBA transactions site on Tuesday.
Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images
Fagbenle was a restricted free agent, so even though the Valkyries selected her, another team could have offered her money that the Valkyries didn’t match.
That didn’t happen; instead, Fagbenle signed a 1-year, $90,000 contract, per Spotrac. She’ll be an unrestricted free agent in 2026.
Who else is on the Valkyries’ roster next season?
As it currently stands, the Valkyries 2025 roster includes the following players:
- Stephanie Talbot, an Australian forward who played
- Carla Leite, a French rookie guard
- Veronica Burton, a guard who played for the Connecticut Sun last season
- Julie Vanloo, a Belgian guard who began her WNBA career with the Washington Mystics last season
- Monique Billings, a forward who played for the Los Angeles Sparks last season
- Kate Martin, a second-year guard who played on the Las Vegas Aces last year
- Tiffany Hayes, a veteran guard who won Sixth Player of the Year with the Aces last year
- Cecilia Zandalasini, an Italian forward who played for the Minnesota Lynx last season
- Kayla Thornton, a veteran forward who won a championship with the New York Liberty last season
- Laticia Amihere, a forward who last played with the Atlanta Dream
- Chloe Bibby, Australian forward and incoming rookie
- Janelle Salaun, French forward and incoming rookie
- Kyara Linskens, Belgian center and incoming rookie
The team will be coached by Natalie Nakase, who was an assistant with the Las Vegas Aces last season. The assistant coaching staff includes Kasib Powell, Ta’Shauna “Sugar” Rodgers, and Landon Tatum. Powell was a player development coach on the Miami Heat in 2024, Rogers an assistant coach at William & Mary, and Tatum an assistant coach on the Maine Celtics, Boston’s G League affiliate.
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