Live Shots: Valkyries flew high in return to Ballhalla

The Bay Area knows ball: Since the WNBA introduced the Golden State Valkyries last season, the team’s signature violet has become ubiquitous in street fashion and fan gear, and a pilgrimage to see the team at Chase Center—aka “Ballhalla”—has become a must. 

With 2025 WNBA Head Coach of the Year Natalie Nakase leading the charge, the Valkyries bench averaged the most points in the league, the first season sold out, and the team was the first WNBA expansion to make the playoffs.The Bay Area’s passion for the Valkyries is best demonstrated in the fact that Ballhalla is loud. In the same arena where the crowd erupts for Steph Curry three-pointers, the crowd pops the same for Veronica Burton, Janelle Salaün, Gabby Williams, and Kaitlyn Chen. You really have to hear it to believe it.

Coming off a recent undefeated road trip, the Valkyries returned home to for two games against the Washington Mystics. In the fourth quarter of game one on July 18, the Valkyries found themselves down six, when Williams hit a triple, kicking off a 12-0 run consisting of four three-pointers. That swung the Valkyries towards victory, and Williams hit another three for good measure. Each time the team knocked down those threes, the diverse crowd of supporters went increasingly wild. That’s the magic the Valkyries have captured: they aren’t just participating in Bay Area basketball culture, they have elevated it, and done so at different levels.

The Mystics then forced the Valkyries to split their homestand 1-1 on July 20; however, Chen dropped a career-high 20-points. Even in defeat, it’s apparent the Valkyries are gamers. They ball the right way, where every possession matters, every loose ball is hustled for, no defensive possessions taken off. The war cries rang out for our high-flying home team, in victory and defeat.