Golden State Valkyries forward Kayla Thornton will miss the rest of the season with a right knee injury that she suffered in practice earlier this week, the team announced Friday.
Thornton, a first-time WNBA All-Star this season, underwent a successful surgery and will begin her recovery after helping the Valkyries to a competitive start in their first season as the league's first expansion franchise in 17 years.
Thornton has been the spark plug for the 10-12 Valkyries, who have exceeded expectations in Year 1 while leading the W in attendance with 11 sellouts at Chase Center in San Francisco.
The 32-year-old frontcourt standout has led the team with 14 points, 7 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game. Granted, she's lacked shooting efficiency with a 36.2% field goal percentage — including a 28.2% clip from 3 — but her defensive versatility and work on the glass, plus her 82.9% free throw percentage, have all come in handy for the Valkyries.
Thornton, who won the 2024 WNBA championship with the New York Liberty, has played a big part in Golden State vying to become the league's first expansion team to reach the postseason in its first year.
At one point 9-7, the Valkyries expedited their winning timeline with suffocating defense. They're tied for fourth in the W in defensive rating (100.9), according to Sports Reference. Only two other teams allow fewer points per game than Golden State, which gives up an average of 78 points per outing.
Thornton's active hands on the defensive side of the floor helped her become the first WNBA All-Star selected from an expansion franchise since 2006.
She came off the bench for Team Clark during the midseason exhibition, clocking out with 15 points. She notably scored a career-high 29 points in a June 27 win over the Chicago Sky.
Thornton originally went undrafted out of UTEP back in 2014. But last year, in the latest chapter of her twisting basketball story, she was finally drafted — with the ninth selection in the Valkyries' expansion draft.
Thornton has played for more than a dozen teams as a pro, including several outside the United States. She's finally found a place to shine in Golden State, but her breakout season has come to a premature end.
The Valkyries will need others to step up in her absence. They lost five of their last six games before the All-Star break and will play five of their next six games on the road.
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