Golden State Valkyries forward Kayla Thornton will miss the rest of the 2025 WNBA season after undergoing surgery on her right knee, the team announced Friday.
The injury occurred during a recent practice and required immediate intervention, with the successful procedure taking place July 25. The Valkyries confirmed Thornton is out for the season and will begin rehabilitation, though no further timeline has been provided.
The news marks a major setback for Golden State’s inaugural season and removes the team’s leading scorer, rebounder, and top defensive player from its playoff pursuit. Thornton, 31, was in the midst of a career-best campaign, averaging 14.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals while playing in all 22 games and ranking among the league leaders in minutes.
“KT is super reliable,” Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase said. “She’s built confidence through her hard work. I love when people show me they want to be that person. They don’t just talk about it.”
Kayla Thornton Has Been a Culture Setter
Thornton was named the franchise’s first All-Star last week and delivered a signature performance with 15 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists. In clutch situations, she had consistently been Golden State’s closer, hitting late-game shots to close out wins.
“She closed the game,” Nakase said earlier this season. “Sparks, she closed the game. In Chicago, she closed the game with a three. Seattle, she closed the game with a three. Washington, she closed with a 4-point play. That’s pretty reliable down the stretch.”
Golden State entered the All-Star break at 10–12, one spot out of the playoff picture. The franchise had outpaced early expectations, due in large part to Thornton’s leadership and stability on the floor.
“I really give a lot of credit to KT because her steadiness throughout the course of the game keeps us calm,” Nakase said. “When she’s calm, we’re calm.”
Her leadership was just as important off the court. Thornton, a WNBA champion with the New York Liberty in 2024, brought championship pedigree and experience to an expansion roster filled with young talent and role players.
A Legacy of Resilience and Respect
For Thornton, the moment was years in the making.
“If I didn’t go through getting cut twice or go through what I did, then I don’t think I would be who I am,” Thornton said. “You got to go through tough moments to come out and have great moments like these.”
A gritty, undrafted forward who carved out a role with the Dallas Wings and later won a title in New York, Thornton embraced her role as the face of the league’s newest franchise.
“We’re a defensive team,” she said earlier this month. “We’ve got to go back into the books, sit down together as a team, re-evaluate each other, re-evaluate ourselves, re-evaluate us as a team, and figure out what we have to do.”
The injury prompted an outpouring of support from across the WNBA, including former teammates and opponents alike.
“I think that is the perfect place for her,” said Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray, who played with Thornton in Dallas. “In my eyes, she’s always been an All-Star, but to be able to go to Golden State and prove it — I’m just so happy for her.”
Liberty forward and former teammate Breanna Stewart echoed the sentiment.
“She’s a dog, she’s a workhorse,” Stewart said. “Really happy for her to continue to kind of lead in a new franchise, but obviously sad to have lost her because she was key for us winning. And knowing she’s much better playing with than playing against.”
Stewart signed off her tribute with a message shared widely online: “They got a dawg. We love you KT.”
Thornton’s injury leaves the Valkyries searching for answers. Forwards Laeticia Amihere, Monique Billings, and Cecilia Zandalasini are expected to absorb more responsibility, but Thornton’s two-way impact and leadership will be difficult to replicate.
Her season ends prematurely, but Thornton’s legacy as the first All-Star and defining figure of Golden State’s launch is already secure.
