Sleeper Defenders: Golden State Valkyries System

Over the Golden State Valkyries’ last five games, star Gabby Williams has played a total of 103 minutes. To the average viewer, that may seem like a lot. But over that same five-game span, players like Paige Bueckers and Kelsey Mitchell played 156 and 181 minutes, respectively, despite having similarly significant roles on their teams.

That’s what impresses me most about the Valkyries: they prioritize quality minutes from a large group of players rather than placing a massive workload on one star.

Williams averaging just over 20 minutes per game might seem surprising for a player of her importance, but it speaks to what makes Golden State so difficult to deal with. The Valkyries don’t need one player to carry the entire burden. Instead, they can rely on different players to make an impact throughout a game, allowing their stars to remain effective without having to shoulder an overwhelming number of minutes.

In a league where teams often lean heavily on their best players, Golden State’s ability to distribute meaningful minutes across its roster makes them a sleeper defender from injury and one of the best teams in the W.