Janelle Salaün Leads Valkyries With 1-Game Scoring Push
janelle salaün led the Golden State Valkyries in scoring and field goal attempts in their season opener against the Seattle Storm. One game was enough to put her name at the center of Golden State’s early rotation discussion.
Salaün Sets the Pace
Salaün finished the opener as Golden State’s top scorer and busiest shooter, giving the Valkyries immediate production from a player who had just entered the mix. She did it against Seattle in the first game of the season, and no one on the roster matched her volume on either end of that scoring line.
That start matters because Golden State opened with Veronica Burton, Tiffany Hayes, Gabby Williams, Kayla Thornton, and Kiah Stokes. Burton was 25, and Williams was the only other player in her 20s in that five-player starting lineup. The rest of the group leaned heavily on veterans, which made Salaün’s numbers stand out even more.
Golden State’s Veteran Core
The Valkyries have leaned into contributors who have spent years playing professionally overseas before becoming draft eligible, and Salaün fits that profile. So do Juste Jocyte and Iliana Rupert. The team is also high on its veterans, with Williams labeled its prized offseason addition, Thornton its first All-Star last season, and Hayes its first big free agent signing.
That setup gives Golden State a clear roster choice after one game: keep leaning on the veteran-heavy starting group, or give the young overseas-trained players a bigger lane when they produce like Salaün did. Her shot volume made the question harder to ignore because she did more than blend in with the opener’s flow; she pushed her way to the top of the box score.
Natalie Nakase’s Message
After the game, Natalie Nakase said she had a selfless team and that players didn’t care too much about starting. That fits the opening lineup the Valkyries used, but it does not erase what Salaün did in her first outing.
For Golden State, the early takeaway is simple: the opener already gave Salaün a case for more run, and it came in a lineup built around experienced names. If she keeps scoring and taking the most shots, the rotation conversation will not stay theoretical for long.
