The Golden State Valkyries have had an amazing debut season so far. With expectations very low as an expansion team, the Valks have been a surprise to everyone in the league. Led by the team’s first-ever rookie, Kayla Thornton, the team surprised by defeating the Indiana Fever not once but twice. What’s even more surprising is that they did it all without their top draft pick, Juste Jocyte.
Not only in terms of results, the Valkyries have also surprised the league in terms of fan attendance. They have the highest average league attendance and, to date, have sold out all their home games. However, lately, things haven’t been going well for the Golden State Valkyries. Already in the midst of a three-game losing streak, things just went from bad to worse for the Golden State Valkyries fans. A short time ago, the Golden State Valkyries announced that Kayla Thornton had gone under the knife due to an injury suffered during a practice session.
What Injury Did Kayla Thornton Suffer During Practice?
According to the release by the Golden State Valkyries, Kayla Thornton suffered a knee injury. She injured her knee during a team practice sometime earlier in the week. The team also confirmed it to be a serious enough injury to require surgery. Although the team did not disclose the exact nature of the injury, the fact that it required surgery means it involved some structural damage or a significant ligament tear.
Golden State Valkyries forward Kayla Thornton, who suffered an injury to her right knee earlier this week in practice, underwent a successful surgery earlier today in San Francisco.
Thornton will be out for the remainder of the 2025 WNBA season and will begin the rehabilitation… pic.twitter.com/DTOvTNCml6
— Golden State Valkyries (@valkyries) July 25, 2025
This injury comes at the worst time for the Valkyries’ season. Having suffered three losses on the trot, they were already out of the playoff seeds. However, with just 1.5 games separating seeds 6-9, there were hopes of a comeback. However, without their best player and team leader, things seem bleak for the Valks’ hopes of making the playoffs.
Will Kayla Thornton Miss the Remainder of the 2025 WNBA Season?
In their release, the Golden State Valkyries have also confirmed that Kayla Thornton will miss the rest of the 2025 WNBA season. The team also announced that she would begin the rehabilitation process immediately. The team’s expectation is for Kayla Thornton to make a full recovery before the 2026 WNBA season.
Kayla Thornton’s injury is a devastating blow to both the Golden State Valkyries and the player herself. While the Valkyries are missing their best scorer and defensive anchor. Thornton is also missing the rest of what is the best season of her career. Due to be an Unrestricted Free Agent the coming off-season, it will be interesting to see how and if this injury affects the contract offers she receives this off-season.
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