Golden State Valkyries: The Complete History of the WNBA’s Newest Franchise. The Golden State Valkyries are one of the newest WNBA franchise, basketball, but their arrival represents something much bigger than simply adding another WNBA team. The Valkyries brought WNBA basketball back to the Bay Area in 2025, becoming the league’s 13th franchise and the first WNBA expansion team since 2008. The franchise is owned and operated by the Golden State Warriors organization and plays its home games at Chase Center in San Francisco. Unlike most franchises that have decades of history behind them, the Valkyries are writing their history almost in real time. Their first two seasons have already produced a Coach of the Year, a Most Improved Player, multiple All-Stars, a playoff appearance, expansion records and one of the strongest fan responses in WNBA history. The Birth of the Golden State Valkyries On October 5, 2023, the WNBA announced that the Golden State Warriors had been awarded an expansion franchise. The team would begin play in 2025, making it the first new WNBA franchise since 2008. The franchise was designed to represent the entire Bay Area while maintaining strong ties to Oakland and San Francisco. The team’s headquarters were established at the Warriors’ former Oakland facility, while home games would be played at Chase Center in San Francisco. The team name Valkyries was inspired by Norse mythology. The organization described the name as representing warrior women who are fearless and unwavering. The result was a new identity built around strength, competition and the Bay Area’s long tradition of women’s basketball. Valkyries Ownership History Because the Valkyries are an expansion franchise, their ownership history is very short. Golden State Warriors Ownership — 2023-Present The WNBA franchise was awarded to the Golden State Warriors organization in 2023. The team is backed by Warriors Co-Executive Chairman and CEO Joe Lacob and Co-Executive Chairman Peter Guber. Lacob and Guber purchased the Warriors in 2010 and subsequently developed the organization that eventually launched the Valkyries. Joe Lacob has been particularly visible in the Valkyries organization. The WNBA’s team information lists Lacob as the owner, while the franchise has described Lacob and Guber as the ownership leadership behind the organization. Ownership timeline 2023-present: Golden State Warriors ownership group Key ownership leaders: Joe Lacob and Peter Guber There has been no previous Valkyries owner, because the franchise did not begin WNBA play until 2025. Every Arena the Valkyries Have Called Home The Valkyries have played their regular-season home games at one primary arena, but another arena has officially hosted a Valkyries home playoff game. Chase Center — San Francisco Chase Center is the Valkyries’ permanent home arena. The 18,064-seat facility opened in 2019 in San Francisco’s Mission Bay neighborhood and is also the home of the Golden State Warriors. The Valkyries played their first-ever regular-season home game at Chase Center on May 16, 2025, against the Los Angeles Sparks. Their 2025 schedule contained 22 regular-season home games at the arena. Chase Center quickly became known to Valkyries supporters as “Ballhalla.” The building has been central to the team’s remarkable attendance story. The Valkyries sold out every regular-season home game in both 2025 and 2026. The franchise announced in September 2026 that it had become the first WNBA team to sell out every regular-season home game in each of its first two seasons. SAP Center — San Jose The SAP Center became a temporary Valkyries home for the franchise’s first playoff home game. During the 2025 postseason, Chase Center was unavailable because of a previously scheduled event. The Valkyries therefore moved their first-round Game 2 against the Minnesota Lynx to SAP Center in San Jose. The game was played September 17, 2025. Thus, the complete list of arenas in which the Valkyries have played a designated home game is: Chase Center — San Francisco SAP Center — San Jose Chase Center remains the franchise’s permanent home. The 2025 Inaugural Season The Valkyries’ first season immediately became historic. Rather than struggling through a typical expansion season, Golden State won 23 regular-season games, setting a WNBA record for victories by an expansion team. Even more significantly, the Valkyries became the first expansion team in WNBA history to reach the playoffs in its inaugural season. The team finished the regular season with a 23-21 record and entered the playoffs as the No. 8 seed. Golden State faced the No. 1-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the first round. The Valkyries lost the series, but their postseason appearance established a foundation that few expansion teams had ever matched. 2026: The Valkyries Take Another Step The Valkyries entered their second season with substantially higher expectations. By September 2026, Golden State had already established another remarkable mark: the franchise announced that it had sold out all 22 regular-season home games for the second consecutive season. The team was also leading the WNBA in average attendance, with 18,064 fans per game. The 2026 team also developed into one of the league’s strongest defensive clubs. As of late September, Golden State had a 31-12 record and had already secured a playoff berth. The organization entered the 2026 postseason having established itself as more than a typical expansion franchise. WNBA Hall of Famers Who Earned Their Hall of Fame Credentials as Valkyries This is an important distinction. The Valkyries have several experienced WNBA players, including players who have won championships or earned major league honors elsewhere. However, under the specific standard of this article—players or coaches whose Hall of Fame credentials were earned as members of the Valkyries—the answer is currently: None. The Valkyries have not yet had a player or coach inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame or Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame specifically on the strength of a Valkyries career. That is not surprising. The franchise… Continue reading Golden State Valkyries: The Complete History
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Las Vegas Aces History: From the Utah Starzz to a WNBA Dynasty
The Las Vegas Aces have one of the most unusual histories in professional basketball. Although the Aces did not arrive in Las Vegas until 2018, the franchise itself dates to the very first season of the WNBA in 1997. The organization began as the Utah Starzz, moved to San Antonio in 2003 and became the San Antonio Silver Stars, later shortened to the San Antonio Stars. In 2018, the franchise moved to Las Vegas and became the Aces. The move to Nevada transformed the franchise. After several decades of searching for sustained success, the Aces developed into one of the WNBA’s premier organizations, winning championships in 2022, 2023 and 2025. The 2022 championship was especially historic because it was the first major professional sports championship won by a team representing the state of Nevada. At the center of the modern Aces has been A’ja Wilson, who became the first player in WNBA history to win four regular-season MVP awards and has played a central role in all three Las Vegas championships. The Beginning: Utah Starzz, 1997-2002 The franchise was one of the WNBA’s original eight teams, beginning play in 1997 as the Utah Starzz. The original owner was Utah businessman Larry H. Miller, who also owned the NBA’s Utah Jazz. The Starzz played their home games in Salt Lake City, Utah The Jazz. struggled during their first several seasons, but eventually became a playoff team. The franchise’s first major draft success came in 1998 when Utah selected Margo Dydek with the No. 1 overall pick. At 7-foot-2, Dydek became the tallest player in WNBA history. The Starzz finally reached the playoffs in 2001. In 2002, they won their first playoff series, defeating the Houston Comets before losing to the eventual champion Los Angeles Sparks in the Western Conference Finals. The San Antonio Years, 2003-2017 After the 2002 season, the franchise moved to San Antonio and became the San Antonio Silver Stars. The team was owned by Spurs Sports & Entertainment, the organization associated with the San Antonio Spurs. The franchise later shortened its name to the San Antonio Stars in 2014. San Antonio produced some of the most important players in franchise history, including: Becky Hammon, Sophia Young, Kayla McBride, Danile Robinson, Margo Dydek, Kelsey Plum, Moriah Jefferson, Dearica Hamby, Danile Robinson, Margo Dydek, Kelsey Plum, Moriah Jefferson, Dearica Hamby The high point of the San Antonio era came in 2008, when the Silver Stars finished 24-10, the best record in the WNBA, and reached the WNBA Finals. They ultimately lost to the Detroit Shock. Becky Hammon became the face of the franchise during this period. She was a multiple-time All-Star and All-WNBA selection and eventually had her No. 25 retired by the organization. The Las Vegas Move In October 2017, the WNBA announced that MGM Resorts International had purchased the San Antonio Stars and would move the franchise to Las Vegas. The organization was renamed the Las Vegas Aces, and Bill Laimbeer became president of basketball operations and head coach. The Aces immediately received a major opportunity. They won the 2018 WNBA Draft Lottery and selected A’ja Wilson No. 1 overall. Wilson averaged 20.7 points and 8.0 rebounds as a rookie and won the 2018 WNBA Rookie of the Year Award. The following year, Las Vegas won the draft lottery again and selected Jackie Young No. 1 overall, giving the franchise three consecutive No. 1 overall selections dating back to the San Antonio era. That decision became one of the foundations of the championship team. Aces Ownership History Because this is a franchise history rather than simply a Las Vegas history, the ownership timeline includes the organization’s previous cities. Years Owner 1997-2002 Larry H. Miller — Utah Starzz 2003-2017 Spurs Sports & Entertainment / Peter Holt ownership — San Antonio Silver Stars/Stars 2017-2021 MGM Resorts International — San Antonio Stars/Las Vegas Aces 2021-present Mark Davis — Las Vegas Aces MGM purchased the franchise in 2017 and moved it to Las Vegas. Mark Davis, owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, purchased the Aces in 2021, with the transaction approved by the WNBA and NBA in February 2021. Davis’s ownership coincided with the beginning of the franchise’s championship era. Home Arenas Through the Years The Aces franchise has played in several different buildings. Utah Starzz Delta Center — Salt Lake City, Utah The Starzz played their home games in the same arena that housed the Utah Jazz. San Antonio Silver Stars/Stars AT&T Center — San Antonio, Texas The team played most of its San Antonio history at the arena that was also home to the Spurs. Freman Coliseum — San Antonio, Texas The Stars temporarily played their 2015 home games at Freeman Coliseum while renovations were taking place at AT&T Center. Las Vegas Aces Mandalay Bay Events Center — 2018-2021 The Aces began their Las Vegas existence playing at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Michelob ULTRA Arena — 2021-present The building was renamed Michelob ULTRA Arena in 2021. It remains the home of the Aces and is located at Mandalay Bay. The arena has a capacity of approximately 12,000 for basketball. The Aces have developed an especially strong home-court following in Las Vegas, including a long series of sellouts in recent seasons. Major Award Winners as Members of the Aces The modern Aces have produced an extraordinary collection of individual award winners. A’ja Wilson Wilson has won: 2018 Rookie of the Year 2020 MVP 2022 MVP 2022 Defensive Player of the Year 2023 Defensive Player of the Year 2023… Continue reading Las Vegas Aces History: From the Utah Starzz to a WNBA Dynasty
