SAN FRANCISCO (AP) 鈥 Exhausted and finally able to catch her breath, Jess Smith sat down for a celebratory postgame meal out with her family when two preteen boys at a nearby table began analyzing all the winning plays by the Golden State Valkyries from earlier in the day.
They impressed the president of the WNBA’s newest team with their knowledge, discussing the highlights just like they surely would Stephen Curry and the NBA’s Warriors.
鈥淭hey were pronouncing the players鈥 names correctly, they were talking so passionately about how skilled our players were,鈥 Smith said. 鈥淵ou could tell they watched the whole game and they were sitting there with each other talking about it, just as they would any other Bay Area team.鈥
As the this weekend, the Valkyries aren’t just any team. They’re the first WNBA expansion franchise to reach the postseason during its inaugural season, an achievement that comes with interest surrounding the league and women’s sports continuing to grow in popularity. The buzz is evident with raucous sellout crowds at Chase Center, now dubbed 鈥淏allhalla鈥 in a cheeky play on Valhalla 鈥 which in Norse mythology is where Valkyries guide the souls of slain Warriors.
The Valkyries delivered on and off the floor
Golden State had just pulled off a commanding 27-point home victory against Las Vegas on that Saturday in June when Smith went out to eat. It marked the largest win in franchise history 鈥 yes, a young one 鈥 until a 90-59 triumph at Chicago on Aug. 15 topped that.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a blast,鈥 said owner Joe Lacob, who has loved women鈥檚 basketball and was a founding owner in the former ABL.
Players also are thrilled to be building something from the ground up, being part of all the special firsts for this franchise.
鈥淭he way that the bay grows is by being there for each other, is uplifting each other, is lending that helping hand when people need it,鈥 guard Tiffany Hayes said. 鈥淥r even just working together, just connecting people that need to be connected. A little connection can bring you a long way. That鈥檚 just what the Valkyries have been showing everybody. You see Ballhalla鈥檚 packed every night, that people feel the love from what they鈥檙e getting when they come here.鈥
The Valkyries have captivated their target audience, and then some. Every age and color, every walk of life, that鈥檚 what you see inside Chase Center 鈥 where grown men are rocking their pale purple.
鈥淰alkyries violet!鈥 emphasized Lacob, who initially wasn’t sure of the color scheme and now wears his violet pullover with pride.
The Bay Area already had an established fan base for women’s basketball with strong support of the college programs such as California and Stanford.
Now, all eyes are on the Valkyries and their success 鈥 and not just in Northern California but well beyond. 海角社区官网Tempo expansion team president Teresa Resch recently attended a game and was shown on the big screen.
Golden State鈥檚 new Raven 鈥渂estie鈥 as they call her 鈥 she’s not a mascot 鈥 named Violet is a huge hit. She made her debut Aug. 11 for a matchup with Connecticut. The sporty Violet dances around the arena sharing friendship bracelets after hatching from a large purple egg following a four-day incubation outside Chase Center this summer.
Fans are loving the attention to such details. All 22 regular-season home games were sellouts. But the eighth-seeded Valkyries will relocate to SAP Center in San Jose for their home playoff game Wednesday against Minnesota because of the Laver Cup tennis event, which had been scheduled before San Francisco was granted a WNBA team.
Making the playoffs in Year 1 was always the goal
On the floor, coach Natalie Nakase has produced a consistent winner with players who mix and match and thrive on their depth 鈥 especially important with a rash of late-season injuries 鈥 stingy defense and 3-point shooting.
The 45-year-old Nakase kept Golden State focused on the task at hand night after night, with making playoffs the goal from Day 1.
鈥淚t鈥檚 about being organized, it鈥檚 about being thoughtful, it鈥檚 about being prepared,” she said. “And I think when you have that type of mindset among the coaching staff then I think that鈥檚 when you can develop. I tell our coaches how can we improve every single day and not just let days off go by.鈥
Last summer while grabbing another meal, Smith went to pay when she learned her bill had been taken care of by an appreciative fan and now-season ticket-holder. The woman wrote a thank-you for all of Smith鈥檚 tireless work and said, 鈥淚鈥檝e been waiting for something like this.鈥
Smith shared that at a staff meeting and made it clear the woman didn鈥檛 have it quite right: Every part of running a successful organization is a collaboration, and the Valkyries wouldn’t be where they are without fans like her.
Oh, and supporters like Curry and fellow Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski showing up to shine light on the women’s game. Podziemski has been a regular sitting courtside next to Lacob wearing different players鈥 jerseys every night.
鈥淚t is just remarkable, I mean it鈥檚 just fantastic,鈥 Lacob said. 鈥淔irst of all, selling out every game but secondly winning, does it get any better as an expansion team? It鈥檚 pretty great. The fans are having so much fun. It’s just unbelievable.鈥
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