In the WNBA, no team has embraced diversity quite like the Golden State Valkyries! Under Natalie Nakase’s leadership, the Valkyries entered the season with players from six different nationalities. It was a cultural explosion in the Bay Area – one which brought its own set of problems. But there was one player who helped bridge the differences. It was Julie Vanloo. Her ability to speak French, English, Italian, and Flemish fluently made her the perfect bridge between teammates. She was the team’s unofficial ‘translator’ and perhaps the most important member of the locker room. But sadly, that special connection has now come to a heartbreaking end.
“I think what’s really helped is Julie can translate for all of them. Julie speaks everyone’s language so that’s kind of been really key, just how we can connect that way,” Coach Nakase said about the impact the Belgian player had created. Now, not many saw Valkyries being good this season. But with a 9-7 record to start the season, Golden State has proved many wrong, and a big part of that success stems from Vanloo’s contribution off the court. Yet, here she is, facing the risks of leaving for Eurobasket after missing out on something important. As Emma Meesseman wrote under Valkyries’ Instagram post, “Nah…making her miss a unique moment in (Belgian flag emoji) is crazy“.
Since June 10, the Valkyries had temporarily suspended Julie Vanloo’s contract as she joined the Belgian national team for the 2025 EuroBasket – a tournament her team went on to win. She was expected to return and rejoin the Golden State team, but bad news was on the horizon for her. Vanloo was waived by the Valkyries just moments after landing in San Francisco. Talk about heartbreak. According to an X user named CC (@CC22_clark), she even left Belgium’s EuroBasket celebration early to make it back to the team and play in the WNBA. So, if the Valks had waived her a day earlier, she could have celebrated with her Belgian Cats, who got a reception from the King & Queen and the fans in Brussels.
And if you take a peek at Vanloo’s Instagram stories right now, things only get sadder.
There is just no excuse for this pic.twitter.com/H8HfX3WH6q
— CC (@CC22_clark) June 30, 2025
Her first two posts after arriving in San Francisco were full of joy and excitement. One post read, “BACK IN FOG CITYYYYY,” while the next was a selfie with a funny filter that said, “18 hrs later. Made it.” It was clear that she was pretty excited to come back and play in the WNBA. But her joy was short-lived. Her next post? That one was simply painful to read: “Literally just touched down in the Bay. I need some time to process all of this man and put my feels into words. I can’t right now.”
An argument can be made that Vanloo was struggling this season. She averaged 4.6 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game while also committing 2.6 turnovers per game. So, perhaps, a move to let her go makes sense. But the timing of the announcement? Why wasn’t she notified beforehand? There will be questions for the Golden State front office to answer.
Vanloo, who made her WNBA debut with the Mystics last year, can still play for another franchise in the league, but it will be interesting to see where she lands next and how her journey continues. On the other hand, the Valkyries are still not done making moves. Let’s take a look at that!
The Golden State continues to make adjustments to its WNBA roster
While the Valkyries have announced that they would be waiving Vanloo, the same fate wasn’t seen by the other two players who left for the EuroBasket. Instead, the team has announced the reactivation of contracts for forwards Janelle Salaun and Cecilia Zandalasini.
The Valkyries have also waived Chloe Bibby and Bree Hall to make room for the players coming back from the EuroBasket. Now all eyes will be on Kaitlyn Chen. She seemingly got the most out of Vanloo’s absence as she logged heavy minutes with Carla Leite also out for the last four games with a back injury. It is most likely that she will be given a contract till the end of the season, similar to what Laeticia Amihere was offered.
It is unfortunate to see Vanloo leave; the Valkyries will no doubt miss her contribution. But it is an even bigger loss for the WNBA to lose out on a player of her caliber. What do you think about this move? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
The post WNBA Star Heartbroken After She Ditches European Championship Celebrations To Fly Back – Only To Find Out She Has Been Waived appeared first on EssentiallySports.