WNBA Player News

Jocytė is the Valkyries’ first-ever draft pick. Joycė represented ASVEL alongside Dominique Malonga, the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft, to produce one heck of a EuroCup roster. There’s plenty of upside with the Lithuanian guard, who functions mainly as a scorer at this point in her career. At 6-foot-1, Jocytė’s got good length and a smooth lefty stroke to go with it. She’s played professionally since her early teenage years, when she became the youngest player in modern EuroLeague Women history, taking the floor for ASVEL at age 14. She’s a young-yet-proven prospect who may have a chance to make an impact early in her WNBA career.

Jefferson’s absence leaves the Sky down a guard within its rotation. However, with Hailey Van Lith (ankle) available, Chicago should have enough to compensate for Jefferson’s absence. She was likely behind Courtney Vandersloot and Van Lith in the rotation.

Initially questionable for Saturday’s season opener, Van Lith has officially been cleared to play. She’ll serve as Courtney Vandersloot’s backup. While this limits Van Lith’s fantasy ceiling in the short term, being mentored by a veteran of Vandersloot’s caliber should benefit the rookie in the future.

After seeing their two-season run as WNBA champions end last fall, the Aces significantly changed their roster. Loyd was acquired from the Storm as part of a multi-team trade that sent Kelsey Plum to the Sparks. As expected, Loyd immediately slides into the starting lineup, with the Aces’ other four starters being the “usual suspects.” Three-time WNBA MVP Wilson is the centerpiece and is projected by many once again to be the most valuable player in fantasy basketball.

Not only is Saturday opening day for the Liberty, but it’s also “ring day” for the franchise that won its first WNBA title last season. Fiebich, a key reserve, will play despite still dealing with jet lag after completing her season in Germany. How much she’ll play is unknown, but the 6-foot-4 forward will have added importance for the Liberty with Betnijah Laney-Hamilton (knee) out for the season.

If Friday’s performance indicated what’s to come, Vanloo should be a fan favorite in the Bay Area. She went on a personal 9-0 run during the third quarter, hitting three-pointers on three straight possessions to pull the Valkyries to within six with 2:07 remaining. Unfortunately for Vanloo and the Valkyries, they would get no closer than four points, as Kelsey Plum led the Sparks with a 37-point effort. Vanloo came off the bench on Friday but played 27 minutes, while starter Veronica Burton (2/2/3/2) logged 17.

Thornton made history on Friday, as her jumper with 9:36 remaining in the first quarter was the first official basket scored in Valkyries history. Unfortunately, that was the high point for the veteran forward, who missed all six of her three-point attempts and provided limited value to fantasy managers. Thornton still led all Valkyries with 34 minutes, which may not change anytime soon, especially with Stephanie Talbot (quad) and Cecilia Zandalasini (foot) sidelined due to injury.

After averaging nearly 19 minutes per game as a reserve with the Fever last season, Fágbénlé played 31 as a starter in her Valkyries’ debut on Friday. The final stat line was solid, and the veteran center is well-positioned to figure prominently in Golden State’s rotation. While Fágbénlé may not be a player targeted in six-team leagues, managers competing in larger leagues should have her on their radar.

Hayes didn’t have the most efficient night, shooting below 50 percent from the field and committing four turnovers. However, as the Valkyries’ most dynamic scorer, the 35-year-old guard will hold a significant role this season. Turnovers won’t be something that fantasy managers in most leagues will have to concern themselves with. Still, efficiency may be an issue for Hayes due to the Valkyries’ status as an expansion team.

While Kelsey Plum stole the show offensively in the Sparks’ regular season opener, Stevens did so defensively. Only once last season did the forward/center record at least six “stocks” in a game, putting up seven in a July 13 win over the Wings. High tallies of that caliber have not been the norm for Stevens, but she’s likely to play heavy minutes due to the Sparks’ lack of depth, at least until Cameron Brink is cleared to return from her torn ACL. Los Angeles hosts Minnesota in its home opener on Sunday.

After recording a career-high 16 double-doubles during the 2024 season, Hamby did not waste time getting on the board in 2025. In addition to the double-double, she provided excellent value in the steals category. Hamby finished last season with a career-best average of 1.7 steals per game, and that’s another category in which she can be impactful for fantasy managers. However, the Sparks’ next game will be more challenging, as they host the Lynx on Sunday.