Latest news with #KaylaThornton
Axios
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Axios
Bay Area sports: Valkyries find their cadence, Giants pitching success
The Golden State Valkyries aren't doing so hot, but that doesn't mean a clearer picture of the team's identity hasn't emerged. The latest: The Valks are 2-4, losing three straight after playing the two teams who were in the WNBA Finals last year — the New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx. Rookie forward Janelle Salaün is proving a consistent three-point scorer, while forward Kayla Thornton is tied for the league lead, averaging 2.3 steals per game. What they're saying: "It is very clear what the identity of Golden State is," Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeves said Sunday after the Lynx beat the Valkyries 86-55. "They shoot threes, they play defense and protect the paint. And they out-effort people with the effort at every position, with everybody that comes into the game." What to watch: Kate Martin scored a career high of 14 points on Sunday but is still struggling to get her footing. Fun fact: Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski is a fierce Valkyries fan, making courtside appearances at home games in lavender pants. The bottom line:"I'm trying to get them to get the mindset of, let's just get 1% better every single day, just be in control of what we can control," Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase told ESPN. Here are some other notable happenings in San Francisco sports: Giants' pitching leads The Giants head into June with a major league-best 2.64 ERA despite now going 14 straight games without scoring more than four runs. Strong performances by pitchers Robbie Ray, Kyle Harrison and Hayden Birdsong helped elevate the team to a 4-2 win over the Miami Marlins on Sunday. They need to figure out their offense stat as they begin a seven-game home stretch Monday with four against the San Diego Padres and three against the Atlanta Braves. 49ers' offseason without their heavyweights Ahead of training camp, Jauan Jennings is the uncontested No. 1 wide receiver on the team. The other player who's been put in the spotlight is running back Christian McCaffrey, whose lack of speed in offseason activity has drawn concern. All eyes are on the expected dates of return for Brandon Aiyuk (torn ACL and MCL), Ricky Pearsall (hamstring injury), Ji'Ayir Brown (ankle procedure) and Malik Mustapha (ACL injury). Bay FC goes for the goals Bay FC currently sits at No. 11 out of the NWSL's 15 teams. Their aggressive possession-based offensive strategy, while often successful, has left them weaker on defense, sometimes leading to late-game goals. Racheal Kundananji, who was called up to Zambia's national team for matches from May 26 through June 3, remains a critical player on the field with her ability to draw defenders and steal passes.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
How to watch Valkyries vs. Lynx on TV or live stream - 6/1/2025
How to watch Valkyries vs. Lynx on TV or live stream - 6/1/2025 The Minnesota Lynx (6-0) will try to extend a three-game road winning streak when they take on the Golden State Valkyries (2-3) on Sunday, June 1, 2025 at Chase Center. The contest airs at 8:30 p.m. ET on FDSN, KPIX+, and KMAX 31. Below in this article, we will give you all the details you need to know about how to view this game on FDSN, KPIX+, and KMAX 31. Watch this game on Fubo! (regional restrictions may apply) How to watch Valkyries vs. Lynx Date: Sunday, June 1, 2025 Sunday, June 1, 2025 Time: 8:30 p.m. ET 8:30 p.m. ET Location: San Francisco, California San Francisco, California Venue: Chase Center Chase Center TV channel: FDSN, KPIX+, and KMAX 31 FDSN, KPIX+, and KMAX 31 Live stream: Fubo (regional restrictions may apply) Valkyries players to watch Veronica Burton is tops on her squad in assists per game (4.4), and also posts 10.2 points and 4.6 rebounds. At the other end, she posts 2.4 steals (first in league) and 0.2 blocked shots. Kayla Thornton leads the Valkyries with 12.2 points per contest and 6.2 rebounds, while also averaging 0.8 assists. Temi Fagbenle is averaging 9.8 points, 2.6 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game. Janelle Salaun paces the Valkyries at 7.8 rebounds per game, while also posting 1.5 assists and 13.8 points. Carla Leite posts 7.4 points, 1.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists per contest, shooting 36.7% from the field. Lynx players to watch Napheesa Collier is posting a team-high 26.8 points per game. And she is delivering 7.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists, making 52.7% of her shots from the floor (sixth in WNBA) and 43.8% from beyond the arc, with 1.4 triples per contest. Courtney Williams tops the Lynx in assists (6.7 per game), and puts up 14.2 points and 5.2 rebounds. She also averages 1.0 steal and 0.2 blocked shots. The Lynx receive 13.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game from Alanna Smith. Jessica Shepard is No. 1 on the Lynx in rebounding (7.8 per game), and posts 9.0 points and 2.7 assists. She also delivers 0.2 steals and 0.2 blocked shots. The Lynx receive 5.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game from Bridget Carleton. Valkyries vs. Lynx stat comparison The 73.8 points per game the Valkyries put up are only 2.5 fewer points than the Lynx allow (76.3). The Lynx average just 2.6 more points per game (84.2) than the Valkyries give up to opponents (81.6). The Valkyries average 35.8 rebounds a contest, 1.8 more rebounds per game than the Lynx's average. The Valkyries are shooting 36.8% from the field this season, 4.8 percentage points lower than the 41.6% the Lynx allow to opponents. The Lynx's 45.1% shooting percentage from the field this season is 2.8 percentage points higher than the Valkyries have allowed to their opponents (42.3%). Watch this game on Fubo! (regional restrictions may apply)
CBS News
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Golden State Valkyries' lose 95-67 in Kayla Thornton's homecoming game against NY Liberty
Golden State Valkyries forward Kayla Thornton's return to New York to face her former team, reigning 2024 WNBA champions the New York Liberty, ended in a 95-67 loss. The team struggled to stop the Liberty's passing game, which had a team total of 30 assists to end the game. The Valkyries also gave up 32 points to turnovers. The Liberty got an early 6-0 lead in the first few minutes of the game. A steal by Thornton helped the team get their first points. However, their struggles continued on both sides of the court, ending the first quarter trailing 27-10. Valkyries guard Veronica Burton responded quickly in the first seconds of the second quarter with a 3-pointer, setting the tone for what would be a scrappy second quarter. While the Valkyries struggled with the Liberty's passing game, their success on the other side of the court helped keep them in the game. The half ended with the Liberty leading 48-29, but the Valkyries nearly went point for point in the second quarter, scoring 19 to the Liberty's 21. Their offensive success continued into the third quarter. Thornton and Burton scored the first points. Fágbénlé, Carla Leite and Janelle Salaun helped the Valkyries outscore the Liberty 22 to 19. Ultimately, the Valkyries' offense struggled to find similar success as in the previous quarters, getting outscored 16 to 28. Pressure from the Liberty's defense also led to several turnovers, and the game ended with the Valkyries losing 95-67 in their first game of the week against the Liberty The Valkyries' normal point scorers in Thornton, Burton and Salaun struggled to find their shots for most of the game. Thornton shot 3 for 10 on field goals and 2-5 from the 3-point line, ending the game with 13 points. Burton shot 3 for 11 and 2 for 7 from the 3-point line. Fágbénlé went 5 for 5 from the field and scored on her only 3-point attempt, ending with 11 points. Kate Martin scored 10. Their next game will be a rematch against the Liberty on Thursday at 4 p.m. Catch the game on KPIX 5.
San Francisco Chronicle
26-05-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Valkyries' Kayla Thornton returns to site of her greatest WNBA success
NEW YORK — Kayla Thornton 's New York Liberty chapter will officially close Tuesday night. The now- Golden State Valkyries forward will get her championship ring seven months after winning her first career title, and five months after she learned she would spend her 13th WNBA season in the Bay Area. Over the first three games in franchise history, Thornton has quietly been the Valkyries' most consistent player. She notched the team's first-ever double-double in the win over Los Angeles on Friday with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Amid the excitement around the early performances from rookies Janelle Salaün and Carla Leite, Thornton's solid start to her Valkyries tenure has gone less noticed. One of the Liberty's key playoff pieces a season ago, Thornton makes her first return to Brooklyn since she was selected by the Valkyries in the expansion draft this week as Golden State plays two against the defending champs. The Valkyries are playing better than many expected and Thornton's stability has been a big reason why. 'I don't change who I am,' she told the Chronicle on Monday. 'My role is different, but I'm the same person as if I was in New York playing the role I was playing. Being back here now, it is emotional, but I gotta bottle that up. It's time to get to business.' An undrafted free agent out of Texas-El Paso, Thornton leads the Valkyries (2-1) with 30.5 minutes per contest and 6.3 rebounds and is second with 12.7 points per game, behind just Salaün, who has played in two games. She is also second with 2.3 steals per game and her 91.7 offensive rating is third-best on the team of players who have played in every contest, while her 91.5 defensive rating trails just Leite, even with Thornton's 12 more minutes per game. Valkyries general manager Ohemaa Nyanin helped build the Liberty championship team as their assistant general manager. She was on staff when New York traded for Thornton, and knew how she would fit in with what she wanted to build with the expansion club. 'I knew I had a very big responsibility because I understood what I was taking her from, I didn't take the decision lightly,' Nyanin said. 'I didn't speak to her prior to the decision, and just kind of hoped that she would be able to see the vision that I had for her and that we had for her more specifically, and to be able to see her on a billboard, whether it be in the NBA All Star Game, for her to shoot the first shot and have her first double-double in our colors together to see her smile, to see her right now be totally locked into everything that we are throwing at her has been a huge blessing.' The 32-year-old was last a full-time starter in 2023, when she started 35 games while averaging 8.0 points and 5.9 rebounds per game with Dallas. She took on a bench role and the Liberty acquired her before the 2023 season, when Thornton started 11 games but was a key defender and 3-point shooter off the bench. 'We love KT,' said Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello. 'We knew we were gonna lose someone in the expansion draft, and no surprise that's who they took because she's such a great culture person, great leader and competes at such a high level. She's loved here. We certainly miss her, but we're excited that she gets this great opportunity to lead a new team.' Her 3-point game has been the only thing missing so far this season as she has opened 3-for-23 from range. Last season, she shot a career-best 35.7% from distance on a career-high 126 shots. Thoronton's defense, though, is what earned her big postseason minutes. She played 20:32 off the bench in the Liberty's Game 5 overtime win over Minnesota last season. 'We love her here,' said Liberty guard and Walnut Creek native Sabrina Ionescu on Monday. 'We know what she brought to our team, and we're excited that she's kind of been killing it in her role on her new team.' Like they are of many players, the Valkyries are asking for a lot from Thornton to step out of a specific role and into a leadership position. Through three games, she's embraced the larger responsibility and challenge going from a championship bench threat to a key cog of an expansion team. 'It's mixed emotions,' she said 'The last thing I remember doing (at the Liberty practice facility) is taking pictures with the trophy. It's joy and sadness, but looking at everything (the Liberty) did and everything we're doing now.'
CBS News
24-05-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Leite, Salaun lead Valkyries over Sparks 82-73
LOS ANGELES — Carla Leite scored 19 points, fellow rookie Janelle Salaun had 18, and Kayla Thornton added 14 points and 10 rebounds to help the Golden State Valkyries beat the Los Angeles Sparks 82-73 on Friday night. Salaun grabbed eight rebounds and Leite made 7 of 10 from the field. Veronica Burton added 12 points and five steals for the Valkyries (2-1). Expansion Golden State, which beat Washington 76-74 on Wednesday, has won consecutive games for the first time in franchise history. Thornton made a floater with 6:43 to play that gave Golden State a 73-58 lead but the Valkyries went scoreless for the next five-plus minutes. Kelsey Plum hit a 3-pointer and Dearica Hamby scored the final five points in a 10-0 run before Thornton made three free throws with 1:33 remaining that made it 76-68. Hamby led Los Angeles (1-3) with 25 points, Plum scored 16 and Odyssey Sims had 13. The Sparks have lost three games in a row since beating Golden State 84-67 in the season opener. Sims hit a 3-pointer that gave the Sparks a nine-point lead with 2:11 remaining in the first period. They missed their next 15 field-goal attempts and committed six turnovers as Golden State went on a 26-1 run that gave the Valkyries a 42-26 lead when Temi Fagbenle made a layup with 2:59 left until halftime. Up next Valkyries visit New York on Tuesday, and Sparks host Chicago on Sunday.
