WNBA Expansion: The Start of Something New

After a year of tremendous success, the WNBA is ready to keep its head in the game! The league recently announced that they will introduce three new franchises during the next two seasons, an exciting expansion for all the fans who were left wanting more. You might be wondering how they will work this out, what is happening with the players, the cities they’re playing in, who will coach them, and what time is it for them to join. It feels like this could be the start of something new, so we have gathered everything you need to know about this thrilling announcement, using the help of High School Musical songs because, honestly, that should be the only way to talk about basketball. 

What team? The Golden State Valkyries! This is the first franchise that is set to join the league. They will share the Chase Center as their local stage with the Golden State Warriors when they start playing in San Francisco during the 2025 season. The Valkyries have already appointed Natalie Nakase as their head coach. She is a perfect fit for the job, as she previously served as an assistant coach for the Las Vegas Aces, where she played a key role in helping the team bop to the top twice, with back-to-back championships in 2022 and 2023.

The Golden State Valkyries Head Coach, Natalie Nakase

To build their roster, there will be an Expansion Draft on December 6, where each current team from the league must select 6 “Protected Players”, while the Valkyries will be allowed to draft one player per team from the rest of the lineups. Suppose any player is a free agent after this draft. In that case, they will be breaking free and become available for any team, including Golden State, when the free agency period starts in February. 

Even without a starting lineup, the team is already creating hype around its debut, with over 17,000 season ticket deposits already made, the first team in women’s sports history to do so. The excitement around its arrival will undoubtedly make all the future players get their heads in the game, as it will definitely be a memorable occasion to be a member of such an anticipated and well-received team. 

In 2026, two more cities are expected to join the league: Portland and Toronto. For Toronto, this will be their first time joining the league, a major milestone in expanding the league and the territory it covers. The team is still settling on a name, as they had an open call for suggestions. For the Oregon locals, this will be the return of the WNBA to their city after they had a brief stint in the league between 2000 and 2002 as the Portland Fire. However, this franchise has no relation to that one, so their name is also pending to be settled, yet you can bet on it both teams will come up with the perfect ones. 

The Portland Fire (Getty Images)

For many fans, this expansion makes them think, “This is what I’ve been looking for,” as they’ve been hoping to bring the fun and magic of women’s basketball to their cities. This expansion will mean more games, more opportunities for new players to join the league, and for young girls everywhere to grow up with these fabulous role models, leaving it all on the pitch every night. 

Luckily, the excitement doesn’t end there, as League commissioner Cathy Engelbert expressed the league’s wishes to add a 16th team by 2028. The spot is highly coveted, with at least 12 cities interested in having their franchise right here, right now. The WNBA isn’t in a hurry to decide, but the contenders include Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. As an avid supporter of female sports, Mahomes, alongside his wife Brittany, are already part-owners of the KC Current, one of the NWSL teams. Expanding to the WNBA is what Pat’s been looking for, expressing it’s “a no-brainer” for him, “so let’s try to get a WNBA team in here as well and kind of that same-type ownership group. They’ve done the Current the right way, and I want to continue to work with them to take that next step and get a WNBA team here.” 

Patrick and Brittany Mahomes, owners of the KC Current

For now, we are glad the WNBA is slowly but surely growing, opening up new possibilities for these athletes and continuing to highlight women’s sports in the way they deserve. After the incredible season we witnessed and seeing how it ignited new fans’ interests while bringing them together with the old ones, it’s safe to say we’re all in this together, ready for more basketball in the near future!