Latest news with #CeciliaZandalasini
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Golden State Valkyries Make Roster Decision on WNBA Champion
Golden State Valkyries Make Roster Decision on WNBA Champion originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Golden State Valkyries snapped a four-game skid with a dominant 95-68 win over the Las Vegas Aces on Saturday, bolstered by Kayla Thornton's double-double of 22 points and 11 rebounds, Cecilia Zandalasini's 18 points and Veronica Burton's 12 assists. Advertisement That victory improved the Valkyries to a 3-5 record in their inaugural 2025 campaign. On Sunday, the Valkyries announced the temporary suspension of forward Zandalasini's contract to allow her to represent Italy at FIBA EuroBasket 2025, which runs from June 18-29 across venues in the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy and Greece. The competition will determine continental supremacy and serve as a qualifier for the 2026 FIBA Women's World Cup, with Italy's squad relying heavily on Zandalasini's WNBA experience. Zandalasini enters her first season with Golden State after being selected from the Minnesota Lynx roster in the December 2024 expansion draft. Advertisement In her four appearances (two starts) this year, she's averaged 10.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 steals in 23.0 minutes per game. A decorated international talent, Zandalasini was a WNBA champion with the Minnesota Lynx in 2017, WNBA Commissioner's Cup champion (2024) and MVP of the 2016 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship. She has also won multiple Turkish league and cup titles with Fenerbahçe (2019, 2020, 2021) and an Italian Supercup crown (2023). Golden State Valkyries guard Tiffany Hayes (15) speaks to Yamashita-Imagn Images Zandalasini's departure will leave a 10-point-per-game scoring void at the small-forward spot and test Golden State's young depth. Management has signaled that Zandalasini will rejoin the roster immediately after Italy's EuroBasket run, but with eight games between now and the end of the month, she leaves a significant hole to fill. Advertisement Related: Chicago Sky Coach Sends Message After Angel Reese Decision Related: Indiana Fever Star Gets Technical Foul Against Mystics This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
How Valkyries must survive after EuroBasket absences
The post How Valkyries must survive after EuroBasket absences appeared first on ClutchPoints. The 2025 FIBA EuroBasket tournament quickly approaching means question marks for the Golden State Valkyries, the newest addition to the WNBA. Advertisement Starters Janelle Salaün (France) and Temi Fagbenle (Great Britain) headline the international players likely headed for EuroBasket, as well as key role players Julie Vanloo (Belgium) and Cecilia Zandalasini (Italy). While only Salaün and Vanloo have officially made statements regarding their intention to play for their national teams, Fagbenle is listed as the team captain for Great Britain, and Zandalasini is listed on Italy's official roster. As of June 5th, all 12 players are with the team in Phoenix for the Valkyries game with the Mercury, sources tell ClutchPoints. The team has yet to confirm when exactly the potential EuroBasket players will depart from the team, as that is still an ongoing discussion. That spells the first big question for the Valkyries: How many games will they miss? The simple answer: somewhere between 6-to-10 games. But projecting precisely when Golden State's international players return is a little more complicated. Per the WNBA CBA's current prioritization rules, players committed to their national teams can leave no earlier than two weeks before the event begins. Additionally, they must return within 48 hours after their teams finish play according to Article XIV, Section 9(d) of the CBA. Advertisement With that in mind, EuroBasket spans from June 18th to June 29th, with the group stage ending June 21st- 22nd. That makes June 23-24 the earliest date they can return and July 1st the latest. The Valkyries play seven games between now and the end of the Group Stage and another three during the Knockout stage. As a result, when these four players return depends on how far their national teams get into the tournament. How does that affect Valkyries? Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Losing four players for three weeks would not be good for any team, but it's especially difficult for this Valkyries team. Golden State has been very publicly vocal about the fact that this team lacks on-court reps together because they are an expansion team in its first season. It's hard to imagine that losing four players less than 10 games into the season will make their on-the-fly chemistry-building process any easier. Advertisement From an X's and O's standpoint, the Valkyries will lose a lot of frontcourt depth. With Salaün and Fagbenle gone, Golden State is down its starting power forward and center without a clear pathway to replicating their strengths. The spacing and playmaking both bigs provide have been invaluable to head coach Natalie Nakase's emphasis on tempo and shooting. And in that same vein, Vanloo and Zandalasini have been Nakase's change-up pitch off the bench when the team needs some juice and energy. But looking glass half full, the leave of absence creates an opportunity for the players who are staying. One of the underlying storylines with the Valkyries so far is their rotational log jam. With 12 players collected through an expansion draft, the Valkyries don't have any superstars. However, they still have a bunch of role players all capable of seeing the floor, which is a good and a bad problem. It makes the Valkyries a very versatile team, which allows Nakase to take a matchup-oriented approach at the expense of rotational consistency. That leads to players like Kate Martin and Carla Leite occasionally catching DNPs even though they do log big minutes in certain games. The absence of these international players frees up minutes for the remaining Valkyries to cement themselves in the rotation by the time they return. Potential roster moves for the Valkyries Luckily, Golden State's other international players, Leite (France) and Kyara Linskens (Belgium), have reportedly not committed to their respective national teams, which leaves the Valkyries with eight rostered players. That allows them to sign two players to emergency hardship contracts to get back to 10 available players per the WNBA's team-building rules. That leaves first-time general manager Ohemaa Nyanin with some potentially pivotal roster decisions. Advertisement Backcourt-wise, Tiffany Hayes, Veronica Burton, Leite, and Martin should be enough. That leaves the Valkyries with needs in the frontcourt. Nakase is bound to trust Stephanie Talbot, Monique Billings, and Linskens on that front, with some potential small-ball Kayla Thornton lineups. But none of those players are consistent 3-point shooters, and size remains an issue despite Linskens' 6-7 stature. Among the familiar names to look out for are training camp participants Laeticia Amihere, Chloe Bibby, and Elissa Cunane. There's no official reporting on their current whereabouts, but they'd make seamless fits because they are familiar with Nakase's system. It's unlikely fan-favorite Kaitlyn Chen will rejoin the team due to her recent commitment to the 3XBA league, based around 3-on-3 basketball. That leaves one more huge question for the Valkyries: What does this team look like when everyone returns? It is difficult to project what the Valkyries look like in a month. While other WNBA teams have waived players who committed to EuroBasket, it's unlikely Golden State does the same because of how crucial all four departures are in their lineup. But a rotational shakeup is not out of the realm if players like Leite and Martin showcase their value. In any case, EuroBasket adds some roadblocks for a Valkyries team that is currently 2-4. How they answer that challenge depends on how the remaining players rally. Related: Valkyries veteran guard gets crucial injury update for Mercury clash
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Kayla Thornton helps Valkyries rout Aces
The Golden State Valkyries didn't play like underdogs on Saturday and Kayla Thornton had 22 points and 11 rebounds to lead the way in a 95-68 victory over the Las Vegas Aces at San Francisco. Cecilia Zandalasini scored 18 points, Monique Billings added 14 points and 11 rebounds off the bench, while Veronica Burton recorded 14 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds as the Valkyries ended a four-game losing streak. Leading into Saturday's game, Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase was shocked by her team's lack of energy in their last game, a loss to the Phoenix Mercury, and her team responded in a big way. Golden State pushed the pace from the opening jump and outscored the Aces by 16-0 in the first half on fast-break points and 10 forced turnovers. Golden State's lead pushed to 49-28 at halftime when Kate Martin took the last shot and hit a deep 3-point attempt which left Las Vegas stunned heading into the halftime locker room. The Valkyries held a 34-15 advantage in the second quarter. The Valkyries' defense held the visitors to 29 percent shooting from the floor to start the game but the Aces adjusted at halftime and head coach Becky Hammon's side opted to push into the paint to try and get to the free-throw line. It worked on the offensive end of the court and Las Vegas trimmed its deficit to 18 points, but defensively could not stop Golden State. Las Vegas never had a lead in the game, and was down by as many as 29 points in the third quarter, despite having three-time MVP A'ja Wilson on the roster. The Aces won two WNBA championships over the past three seasons. Wilson scored 17 points in the defeat, with 16 points by Chelsea Gray, the only two Las Vegas starters to reach double-digit points. First-year Aces guard and WNBA champion Jewell Loyd struggled offensively and went 1-of-6 from the floor with five points. The win is the first Commissioner's Cup victory in the Valkyries' history and most points scored in a game for Golden State in its eight-game history. Field Level Media
San Francisco Chronicle
04-05-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Zandalasini gives Valkyries ‘savvy and smooth' forward with a sweet stroke
The Golden State Valkyries faced an interesting choice when picking from the Minnesota Lynx in the expansion draft in December. The WNBA runners-up left three young players unprotected, but the Valkyries opted instead to take 29-year-old wing Cecilia Zandalasini. The Italian forward first joined the WNBA in 2017, signing with the Lynx as a free agent and playing two seasons before spending six seasons in Europe. After returning to Minnesota in 2024, Zandalasini carved out a limited but valuable role, one that the Valkyries hope to expand in their inaugural season. A standout shooter, Zandalasini knocked down 44.3% of her 3-point attempts last season (sixth best in the WNBA) and posted a 55.7% effective field-goal percentage, which adjusts for the value of 3-pointers and ranked 22nd in the league. For a Valkyries team that's emphasizing spacing and range shooting, that alone could earn her floor time. But it's her physicality and versatility, including the ability to defend bigger players, that could elevate her usage. 'My shooting is part of my game that I always work on, something that I can rely on as well,' she said. 'And other things like getting into the body, or creating separation, those types of things that for sure they're gonna be very helpful for the player that I am.' Last season with Minnesota, the 6-foot-2 forward appeared in all 40 games, averaging 12.2 minutes and 4.6 points per game off the bench. She primarily played small forward, carving out space on the perimeter and contributing to the Lynx's league-best 38% team 3-point shooting percentage. Zandalasini's familiarity with that style could help her acclimate to the Valkyries. 'I told her today, we want her to be herself,' head coach Natalie Nakase said after Friday's practice. 'She has a strong IQ, makes good decisions. She'll end up wherever she is most comfortable, where she wants and is playing as herself.' After her promising 2018 campaign, Zandalasini looked poised to become a long-term part of the Lynx's plans. But in 2019, she remained in Europe to stay with the Italian national team and opted out of the 2020 WNBA bubble season due to the pandemic. In her return in 2024, she showed flashes of the offensive and positional versatility that once made her a breakout candidate. One of the players the Valkyries could have taken from Minnesota was 25-year-old small forward Dorka Juhasz, who had similar numbers to Zandalasini last season with 4.8 points per game in 16.1 minutes and is bigger at 6-foot-5. The big difference between the two was their 3-point shooting, where Juhasz made just 11 all season. Given the Valkyries' lack of interior size, Zandalasini may still see minutes at both forward spots. Her shooting could open up the floor, while her strength and mobility give her a chance to guard larger players in small-ball lineups. She's already anticipating a more demanding role on defense. 'Natalie has been very, very clear, she likes to play fast, so that's what we are trying to adjust, because also overseas, you don't have this style of play,' Zandalasini said. 'So for me, I need a few days getting in and getting into the scene. But it's a very fun way to play and I can't wait to get more acquainted with it individually. 'We got bigs that are very athletic. So we can be very, very athletic, and at the same time quick and able to stop a lot of women on the inside.' Though best known for her perimeter scoring, Zandalasini also attempts to be involved in the inside the arc, where 52.7% of her field-goal attempts came from last season. To become a consistent multi-level threat, though, she needs to improve on her 46.2% clip on 2-pointers. If Monique Billings and Kayla Thornton are the starting forwards, Zandalasini and veteran Steph Talbot give Golden State a versatile second unit with size, athleticism and floor spacing. Zandalasini's reliability off the bench could be critical to keeping the Valkyries' rotation balanced and competitive. 'She plays very savvy and smooth,' Nakase said. 'She fits because she can play (guard and forward) and is good at creating spacing wherever she is.'
