Valkyries Shock WNBA Finals with Castoffs Who Became Champions

The Golden State Valkyries have accomplished something extraordinary in the world of professional basketball. In only their second year as a franchise, they’ve stormed into the WNBA Finals, defying every expectation and conventional wisdom about expansion teams. Their journey represents one of the most stunning trajectories in recent sports history.

The Valkyries’ path to the Finals wasn’t paved with lottery picks or marquee free agents. Instead, it was built on something far more compelling: identifying discarded talent that other organizations failed to recognize. Along the way, they defeated both the Dallas Wings-led by Paige Bueckers-and the defending champions, the Las Vegas Aces, featuring five-time MVP A’ja Wilson.

The Wings’ Biggest Mistake

Kaila Charles exemplifies the Valkyries’ strategy of mining gold from other teams’ discards. The 6’1″ wing has been a crucial rotation player all season, appearing in all 44 games and starting 11 times. While she doesn’t possess a single elite skill that jumps off the stat sheet, Charles does all the little things that separate winning teams from also-rans.

However, that versatility without a signature talent caused Charles to bounce around the league early in her career. She made the Dallas Wings’ training camp roster in 2025, only to enter a frustrating cycle of being waived, re-signed during injury crises, and waived again. On June 30, 2025, the Wings cut her for good-or so they thought.

The Valkyries immediately pounced on the opportunity. Furthermore, they signed Charles to a series of 7-day contracts before committing to a rest-of-season deal. Her locker room presence and competitive fire quickly made her a favorite of head coach Natalie Nakase and her teammates. Consequently, the organization rewarded her with a two-year contract this summer.

In the first-round series against the very team that discarded her, Charles averaged more than 23 minutes per game. The irony wasn’t lost on anyone watching.

From First-Round Pick to Castoff to All-Star

All-Star point guard Veronica Burton represents an even more painful miscalculation by the Dallas franchise. A first-round pick of the Wings in 2022, Burton spent two seasons in Dallas before the organization waived her outright just prior to the 2024 season. The decision sent shockwaves through basketball circles at the time.

After catching on with the Connecticut Sun a few months later, Burton was selected by the Valkyries in the expansion draft. While her talent was evident in Dallas, something was clearly missing-a coaching staff and system that could unlock her full potential. The Wings failed at that task and let her walk. In contrast, the Valkyries succeeded spectacularly.

Burton has played and started all 44 games in each of her two Golden State seasons. Moreover, she received a vote for Defensive Player of the Year this season and delivered several massive shots during the team’s historic postseason run. The transformation has been nothing short of remarkable.

“Dallas just didn’t want her,” one league observer noted, capturing the bitter irony of the situation.

The Valkyries’ Winning Formula

What makes the Valkyries’ success particularly impressive is how they’ve positioned these reclaimed players to thrive. It isn’t simply about collecting cast-offs and hoping for the best. Instead, the organization has created an environment where role players understand their value and can maximize their contributions.

Head coach Nakase deserves significant credit for this achievement. She’s fostered a team-first culture where individual egos take a backseat to collective success. Additionally, the coaching staff has implemented systems that play to each player’s strengths rather than forcing square pegs into round holes.

The roster construction strategy reveals a deeper truth about talent evaluation in professional sports. Teams often become fixated on traditional star metrics-scoring averages, highlight-reel plays, and individual accolades. However, championship teams are built on complementary pieces that fit together seamlessly.

Lessons for the Competition

For the Wings and Aces, watching their former players succeed must sting. Both organizations are now forced to confront uncomfortable questions about their talent evaluation processes. How did they miss what the Valkyries saw in these players? What internal factors prevented Burton and Charles from reaching their potential?

The Wings, in particular, face the most scrutiny. They drafted Burton in the first round but failed to develop her properly. Meanwhile, they cycled Charles through their roster like a disposable commodity. Now both players have helped eliminate Dallas from championship contention.

The Aces’ experience serves as a reminder that even defending champions with multiple MVPs can overlook valuable role players. Depth matters in playoff basketball, and the Valkyries have proven that championship-level depth doesn’t always require All-Star names.

An Expansion Team Breaking the Mold

Historically, expansion franchises struggle for years before becoming competitive. The conventional wisdom suggests new teams need time to develop through the draft, accumulate assets, and build organizational infrastructure. Nevertheless, the Valkyries have shattered that timeline.

Their approach offers a blueprint for future expansion teams across all sports. Rather than tanking for high draft picks or overpaying for aging stars, focus on undervalued players from successful organizations. Find the athletes who possess intangible qualities-work ethic, basketball IQ, team chemistry-that don’t always show up in box scores.

As the Finals continue, the basketball world watches with fascination. The Valkyries’ Cinderella story isn’t just about one team’s unlikely success. It’s about challenging fundamental assumptions regarding talent identification and team building. Sometimes the best players aren’t the ones everyone wants-they’re the ones nobody else appreciated.

For Charles, Burton, and their teammates, reaching the Finals represents both validation and vindication. They’ve proven their doubters wrong and reminded the league that discarded doesn’t mean disposable. In doing so, they’ve given hope to every player who’s ever been told they weren’t good enough.