Kate Martin is one of the bigger names on the Golden State Valkyries’ first roster.

The Las Vegas Aces fan favorite was among the selections in the 2025 WNBA expansion draft on Friday, along with a group of 10 other players who didn’t want to protect their teams. The full list of Valkyries picks, as announced by golfer Michelle Wie West, rapper E-40 and former Golden State Warriors player Baron Davis:

• Iliana Rupert, Atlanta Dream

• Maria Conde, Chicago Sky

• Veronica Burton, Connecticut Sun

• Carla Leite, Dallas Wings

• Temi Fagbenle, Indiana Fever

• Kate Martin, Las Vegas Aces

• Stephanie Talbot, Los Angeles Sparks

• Cecilia Zandalasini, Minnesota Lynx

• Kayla Thornton, New York Liberty

• Monique Billings, Phoenix Mercury

• Julie Vanloo, Washington Mystics

The Valkyries did not select a player from the Seattle Storm. They also have the fifth overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, along with plenty of room for free agent signings. Natalie Nakase has already been announced as the franchise’s first female head coach.

WNBA expansion draft rules allowed each of the league’s 12 teams to protect up to six players on their roster starting on the final day of the 2024 regular season. Athletes with previous core player designations, such as DeWanna Bonner and Brittney Griner, were also excluded from selection. The Valkyries were then allowed to select one unprotected player from each team, but only one unrestricted free agent in total.

Here you can find more information about each selected player:

Kate Martin

Martin’s selection means the Aces chose not to protect her, which isn’t a huge surprise considering how they used her towards the end of last season. The 18th overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft out of Iowa was a pleasant surprise early in the season as Vegas struggled with injuries, but her playing time declined as the team got healthy again.

After recording double-digit minutes in 16 of the Aces’ first 21 games, Martin exceeded that limit just twice in her last 13 games and also missed some time in July and August with a lower leg injury. The star’s college teammate Caitlin Clark saw a total of three minutes in the postseason.

“This league is all about opportunity,” Martin told ESPN after her selection. “I’m very grateful for the Aces and everything I was able to learn there, but I’m really looking forward to this new beginning and building something from the ground up with the Valkyries.”

Martin also joins the Valkyries after playing under Nakase, who was an assistant with the Aces for the past three seasons.

Iliana Rupert

The French center player was selected by the Aces of the French Basketball League in 2021. She won a WNBA championship in 2022, her only season with the team. Rupert then played for Atlanta in 2023, playing 20 games that season. She did not play in the 2024 WNBA season and currently plays in the Turkish Basketball League.

Maria Conde

Conde, a Spanish striker, was drafted by Sky in 2019. However, she never played in the WNBA, choosing instead to stay in Europe. Since being drafted by Sky, Conde has played in Spain, Poland and the Czech Republic but never made it to the US; It’s unclear if she wants to come back and play for Golden State or if the Valkyries will simply retain her rights.

Veronica Burton

One of the Valkyries’ younger players, 24-year-old Point Burton was drafted seventh overall by the Wings in 2022 and will be entering her fourth year in the league. The guard was a three-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year during her time at Northwestern and was a third-team All-American her senior year. Burton played in 31 games for the Sun last season as a backup point guard.

Carla Leite

The 20-year-old French guard has never played in a WNBA game. Leite, who signed her first professional contract at age 18, was selected ninth overall by the Wings in the 2024 draft but chose to remain in France. Leite was on the shortlist to play for France at the 2024 Paris Olympics but did not make the final list.

Temi Fagbenle

Fagbenle is a 32-year veteran with experience in the WNBA and overseas. After playing with the Lynx from 2017 to 2019, she crossed the Atlantic to play in Spain, Italy, Turkey, the Czech Republic and England before landing with Indiana last season.

She played 22 games off the bench for the Fever, averaged 6.4 points per game and displayed solid chemistry with Caitlin Clark.

Stephanie Talbot

The Australia international is coming off the worst season of her career for the Sparks, which was also her first year back from a torn ACL. Golden State is counting on the frontcourt veteran to return.

Cecilia Zandalasini

Another European acquisition will be a 28-year-old Italian striker. Zandalasini joined the Lynx in 2024, her second time with the team after playing in Minnesota from 2017 to 2018 and in Turkey and Italy in between. Zandalasini played in all 40 games for the Lynx off the bench and averaged 4.6 points per game and 1.1 assists. She won a WNBA championship during her first stint with the Lynx in 2017 and played in 11 of the team’s 12 postseason games that season.

Kayla Thornton

Thornton will join the expansion team as a WNBA champion after playing all 40 regular-season games and 11 postseason games for the Liberty last season. She was very popular in New York and is now on her fourth WNBA team after being drafted by the Mystics and playing six seasons with the Wings.

Monique Billings

It’s been quite a ride for Billings, who spent the first six seasons of her career with the Atlanta Dream. She joined the Sparks last offseason on a hardship contract, was cut during training camp, joined the Wings on another hardship contract, was released, ended up with the Mercury on a seven-day contract and ultimately ended the season in Phoenix. She is the only unrestricted free agent selected.

Julie Vanloo

Vanloo joined the WNBA last season at age 31 after more than a decade playing professionally in international leagues. Overall, her “rookie” season was a success. She led the Mystics in assists per game (4.3) while also providing shots from distance. She is the early favorite to start at point guard for Golden State.