Valkyries, 1 billion dollars and a victory that revolutionizes women’s basketball

“This is what happens when you invest in women’s sport. These were the words spoken by the escort Tiffany Hayes in front of the 18,064 people that filled the Balhalla pavilion after the Golden State Valkyries lift the WNBA champions trophy last Saturday.

A historical milestone in it United States sport, since the franchise was created just recently two seasons signing at expendable players from other teams and, now, everything that these touch Valkyries turn it into gold.

The first $1 billion franchise

A few months ago, they were first WNBA franchise in being valued in 1 billion dollars, according to American media. Furthermore, they have tickets sold out in all the games they have played as locals during his two years of existence, filling the Chase Center, renamed as Ballhalla when they play.

Precisely, theseventh game of the finals before the Atlanta Dream has been the most viewed in the history of WNBA playoffs gathering to more than 3.3 million of television viewers. A record in the 30 years of life that the league has had.

Historical Gabby Williams

“They solve every detail so that all you have to do is worry about playing basketball”, said the ‘Highest Rated Player’ (MVP) of the finals, Gabby Williams about the way the franchise works.

The Franco-American forward signed an anthological performance in the decisive match with 28 points in the second half against the Dream. At the most important moment of the season, the Best Gabby and one of those responsible for that was Lorraine Torres, the director of performance and the medical department of the Valkyries.

“In the end-of-season interviews, individually analyzing how it had gone, Gabby He thanked me because he told me: ‘It went well super good minute management, I have felt good when I have had to feel good’”, he explained Lorena Torres.

Towers is the maximum responsible in the sports decision making such as, for example, the duration and intensity of training or the players’ recovery processes.

“Everyone has believed in the strategy. I am happy to have was able to help this player, who is the star, and others on the team to give in to their maximum level when they had to,” he said.

The irruption of these Valkyries, with a collective game, as a team and without big ‘superstars’ in their squad, It has caused quite an earthquake in the american women’s basketball, which usually tends towards a game more individualistic and focused on great players.

He Natalie Nakase set, with this collective success, has redefined the league standard and it can be the beginning of a new era.

“It is complex that people understand what we have achieved. Being a expanding team, you don’t have access to superstars because the system is what it is. The teams try to have the ‘Big 3’ and we had to think another strategy. We designed a template in which we had dock and that has allowed us the entire season manage the playing minutes of the players, because we knew that when the bench started playing, they were going to hold the score”, the Spanish woman reflected.

This has been one of the keys to success on the parquet of the San Francisco franchise. The French Janelle Salaun has been selected as the ‘Best Sixth Player’ of the season, contributing 12.7 points from the bank.

and this recognition It is not a coincidence because, as Torres herself recognizes, after passing through the spanish national team either NBA franchises as the Spurs either the sixers throughout his career.

“He sixth and seventh man are key. I told that to the General Manager. I think it is a more European style, different and, this year, it has worked. Maybe the next season we have three superstars and it will touch me manage that context”, he concluded.