Valkyries are getting ‘a canine’ in Kayla Thornton…
MIAMI — Breanna Stewart was locked in final month during the WNBA’s first enlargement draft since 2008.
She knew the Liberty have been at risk of shedding a priceless piece of their 2024 championship-winning crew to the Golden State Valkyries.
After all, solely six gamers per crew may very well be marked off-limits.
In New York’s case, that meant just one reserve exterior the beginning 5 may very well be protected.
When Kayla Thornton was introduced, Stewart’s complete five-step grieving course of unfolded on social media.
Kayla Thornton (left) Michelle Farsi/New York Post
First, disbelief.
“Bruh,” Stewart wrote on X.
Then, anger.
“Ruby [Stewart’s daughter] gonna be pissed.”
Bargaining.
“Yall don’t even have boroughs!!!!!! Papa John’s?!?!”
After a fast bout of despair, the acceptance set in.
“They got a dawg, we love you KT,” Stewart wrote in a post.
Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever and Kayla Thornton of the New York Liberty combat for control of the ball during the primary half at Barclays Center on June 02, 2024, in New York City. Getty Images
For the primary time since Thornton was drafted to the Valkyries, Stewart, on Thursday on the new 3-on-3 league Unrivaled, spoke about what Golden State has in the 6-foot-1 ahead — and what the Liberty misplaced.
“I really tried to live tweet my reaction of losing KT,” Stewart informed The Post after her Unrivaled crew’s observe. “She’s a dog, she’s a workhorse and really happy for her to continue to kind of lead in a new franchise but obviously sad to have lost her because she was key for us winning and knowing she’s much better playing with than playing against.”
Thornton, 32, averaged 5.5 factors and a pair of.6 rebounds per recreation whereas capturing 35.7 % from deep final season, her second with New York.
During the postseason, she averaged the second-most minutes among the many Liberty’s reserves.
Thornton is one of three gamers the Valkyries have underneath contract for the 2025 season.
Kate Martin and Stephanie Talbot are the opposite two.
Kayla Thornton of the New York Liberty seems to be on during the sport towards the Minnesota Lynx during Game 5 of the 2024 WNBA Finals on October 20, 2024, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NBAE by way of Getty Images
Martin, who’s taking part in Unrivaled’s inaugural season, stated she hasn’t spoken to Thornton but however is worked up to have a veteran with championship expertise help lead Golden State in its first WNBA season.
“I’m definitely gonna prefer being her teammate than having to play against her,” Martin stated. “She’s simply a very stable participant. She doesn’t actually make a lot of errors. She’s a actually good defender. She’s tremendous robust, has a good shot, nook 3 specialist. But she will do a little bit of every thing and so that you need these people in your crew and he or she looks as if a actually good teammate.
“It’s just a really exciting time and I think it’s gonna be a lot of fun to start something from the beginning and to work towards [a] common goal,” Martin continued. “That’s the whole thing about being a team… that’s the best part about basketball is that camaraderie so I’m really excited to get there and meet everybody and start playing.”
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