Chicago City Wire

Chicago is set to start its four-game road trip against Golden State on Friday, June 27 at 9 p.m. CT. This will be the first-ever meeting between the two teams as the Valkyries are in their inaugural WNBA season as an expansion team.

Golden State's roster includes experienced players Kayla Thornton and Veronica Burton, both acquired during the 2025 WNBA Expansion Draft. Thornton, a recent WNBA Champion with the Liberty, leads her team by averaging 14.9 points per game along with 7.1 rebounds and 1.7 steals. Burton, formerly of the Sun and a Northwestern alumna, contributes with averages of 10.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game.

In addition to these key players, Golden State signed veteran Tiffany Hayes in the offseason; she has averaged 11.9 points and 2.1 assists this season.

Under head coach Natalie Nakase, the Valkyries hold a record of 7-7 despite several roster changes in June due to six players participating in the FIBA EuroBasket tournament. New signings include Laeticia Amihere, Chloe Bibby, Bree Halland rookie Kaitlyn Chen from this year's draft.

Amihere and Bibby have provided solid performances off the bench with Amihere averaging 8.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game while Bibby scores an average of 8.7 points with a three-point shooting percentage of 42.9%.

Both Chicago and Golden State depend heavily on their bench for scoring; Chicago ranks second in league standings for bench scoring at an average of 25.9 points per game closely followed by Golden State's third-place ranking at an average of 25.8 points.

Chicago aims for another win following improvements in their offensive performance—recently exceeding their average by scoring over eighty points across three consecutive games while maintaining a field goal percentage above forty-seven percent over four games.

Ariel Atkins continues contributing significantly to Chicago’s offense averaging thirteen point nine alongside three point four rebounds plus three point six assists per game whereas Angel Reese has been instrumental under baskets recently achieving double-doubles including eighteen-point seventeen-rebound performance against Sparks.

The absence due to international duty presents challenges such as Kamilla Cardoso competing for Brazil during AmeriCup impacting availability yet offers opportunities for Elizabeth Williams Michaela Onyenwere Maddy Westbeld potentially increasing playing time resulting smaller lineups emphasizing mid-range play benefiting Reese’s facilitating role particularly amidst lacking traditional center presence

Williams contributes seven point one scoreline coupled alongside three point six rebounding stats delivered via forty-seven percent accuracy; meanwhile Onyenwere though experiencing limited action notably scored seventeen within twenty-four minutes facing Phoenix previously whereas versatile forward Westbeld combines perimeter threat demonstrated through thirty-three percent long-range conversion rate complementing other skillsets deployed effectively throughout matches ahead