Kayla Thornton went From Undrafted to Valkyries’ First All-Star

The Golden State Valkyries stormed into the WNBA in 2025 like….well a valkyrie.

The league was not prepared for what the influence that Golden State brought to this WNBA. Packed arenas, upset wins, and a culture so tight it’s making every expansion team jealous.

Outside of the ownership group, and coaching staff of the Valkyries, none of that fire would burn within the locker room without Kayla Thornton. Who would’ve thought that in the expansion draft that Thornton, the team’s veteran forward who just broke the expansion code by snagging the franchise’s first-ever All-Star nod, would be the most important person.

And thank God, that Thornton has been.

The story for Thornton stretches back a decade. Back in 2014, the forward went undrafted, and then bounced around overseas like a basketball nomad, got cut twice, and somehow stayed hungry enough to get to this moment in the WNBA.

Now she’s the first expansion player to make the All-Star game in their inaugural season since 2006.

That’s rare air, and Kayla’s been breathing it in all season.

All-Star Game Is A Movie Plot

Kayla is not your typical All-Star. When Thornton came out of UTEP as a defensive beast but went unselected in the 2014 draft. The Washington Mystics gave her a shot, then cut her ten games in. Most players would’ve folded, but Kayla packed her bags for Puerto Rico, then bounced between four teams across three countries. She didn’t quit — she grew tougher.

Back in the league, she found her footing with the Dallas Wings in 2017 and carved a rep as a deadly “3-and-D” player — the kind every coach salivates over but rarely gets. But all those years, Kayla was a role player. She knew she could do more but never got the chance.

Then the Valkyries picked her in the expansion draft last December, and everything changed. The team leaned on her like a franchise cornerstone, and she delivered.

Coach Natalie Nakase didn’t hold back the hype:

 

“She was on a team in New York that had a lot of firepower… now she’s got the confidence and minutes to show what she can do.”

Now Kayla averages a career-best 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game. She’s leading Golden State in scoring and usage rate, posting multiple 20-point games and dropping a career-high 29 points against Chicago.

From Cut To Court Star: Kayla’s Wild Ride

Kayla isn’t just putting up stats. She’s easily the emotional engine for the Valkyries. When the team needed a jolt against the Chicago Sky, Coach Nakase called on her voice. Kayla delivered with 29 points and a locker room vibe that’s pure magic.

Her old coach, Sandy Brondello, who cut her some slack during New York’s championship run, is proud.

 

“KT was the ultimate pro… now she’s an All-Star. How cool is that?”

Her former Wings teammate and best friend Allisha Gray says:

 

“She’s been an All-Star all along, and now the rest of the league knows it.”

Even Liberty forward Kennedy Burke can’t stop talking about Kayla’s contagious locker room laughter. She’s the spirit lifter — the teammate who cracks jokes when you want to cry and keeps the energy buzzing.

Kayla sums it up herself:

“Delayed but not denied.”

That motto fueled her through cut days, overseas moves, and years of grinding.

Valkyries Cracked The Expansion Code & Kayla’s The Real MVP Of Expansion Season

The Valkyries didn’t stroll into the league hoping for a participation trophy. They built a culture first — strong defense, electric home crowds, and a team that plays with heart. They lead the league in field goal defense at 40.1%, and Kayla anchors that effort with lockdown defense and elite two-way play.

Commissioner Cathy Engelbert gave the Valkyries props:

“Golden State set the bar high for what expansion can look like.”

And Kayla is the face of that bar. She leads the team, commands the floor, and shows every other expansion team exactly how to do it.

At 32 years old, Kayla finally gets to bask in the spotlight she earned. She told reporters she stays focused on what God’s got planned and that what’s meant for her will come.

We’re just glad it came during her time with the Valkyries — a team rewriting the WNBA expansion playbook.