The mass cuts have begun as WNBA teams finalize their rosters today. With the season starting on Friday, opening day rosters are due just 24 hours before tip-off. While a lot of the cuts have been harsh but somewhat expected, one team continues to baffle WNBA fans.
Valkyries’ latest cut revealed by cryptic social media post
As WNBA rosters are released and final cuts made, one WNBA team continues to shock fans with their moves.
Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images
Chelsea Leite has been writing about professional basketball since 2021, and covers both the Toronto Raptors and Toronto Tempo as a credentialed reporter for SB Nation.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the hardest team to predict has been the expansion franchise with the shortest transaction history: The Golden State Valkyries.
First, it was their decision during their expansion draft, choosing to go predominantly international with their picks. Most of the people they drafted in December were untested in the WNBA, leading to questions about the direction they were going.
Then came the 2025 WNBA Draft, when the Valkyries used their No. 5 pick to draft and stash another European player, Juste Jocyte. Jocyte will not be coming to the US for the WNBA season. They used their second-round draft pick to choose Shyanne Seller, who ended up being the first player they waived in training camp. Another shock to WNBA fans.
Rookie cuts are normal in the WNBA, though, so despite the idea that Sellers could recover from her apparent injury and develop with the Valkyries, fans could get over that cut. But Golden State’s latest rumored decision still has some scratching their heads in confusion.
Canadian Olympian and 2022 No. 8 overall draft pick Laeticia Amihere posted a tweet on Wednesday afternoon, thanking the Valkyries for the opportunity. Though cryptic, it reads like Amihere had been cut from the roster ahead of opening night.
Amihere was drafted to the Atlanta Dream after winning a National Championship at South Carolina. The Mississauga, Ontario native has also been a long-time staple of the Canadian Senior Women’s National team, competing with the team at the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. After three seasons in Atlanta, Amihere had still not cracked the team’s rotation despite being a solid role player on her national team.
During the 2024-2025 offseason, the Dream announced they had waived Amihere, and she was picked up off waivers by the Valkyries. In Golden State’s first preseason game, Amihere scored a team high 20 points on 7-11 shots from the field. She was widely expected to become a core part of the Valkyries’ rotation in their first season as a WNBA franchise. At least until she posted the message above.
Shortly after, the Golden State Valkyries announced their final roster, and Amihere was indeed cut.
It’s another confusing decision from the Valkyries. With more than half of the WNBA on expiring contracts this season, Golden State had the chance to lock in Amihere on her current salary through the 2026 season. Especially important given the new CBA will more than likely see salary minimums rise as soon as next season, this is a decision we’ll need to learn more about to fully make sense of.
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