A New Rivalry Emerges in Women's Basketball
The Marin Independent Journal suggests that a new rivalry may be brewing as the Golden State Valkyries, based in San Francisco, faced off against the Los Angeles Sparks in their inaugural WNBA game. This matchup marks the return of a California derby absent since 2017, when the Dallas Wings and San Antonio Stars represented Texas. The atmosphere was electric, with 17,428 fans attending a preseason encounter between the two teams last week, highlighting the growing interest in women's basketball.
The Valkyries roster includes two French players, Carla Leite and Janelle Salan, sister of NBA player Tidjane Salan with the Charlotte Hornets. Coach Natalie Nakase, the first Asian-American head coach in WNBA history, is at the helm. However, the team faced controversy when popular player Kaitlyn Chen, who was heavily promoted, was not selected for the final roster, disappointing many fans. Despite this, Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr expressed excitement about the Valkyries? branding and presence in the league, although the team lost their debut game 84-67.
