Veronica Burton Erupts for Career Game with Golden State Valkyries

The former Wildcat took over in a win against the Washington Mystics.

Aug 13, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Golden State Valkyries guard Veronica Burton (22) shoots the ball over Washington Mystics guard Lucy Olsen (33) in the second half at CareFirst Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

In her fourth WNBA season, former Northwestern guard Veronica Burton is experiencing a breakout campaign.

The Golden State Valkyries' point guard has been a steady hand for the Bay Area expansion team, playing in all 32 games so far while leading her squad to a 17-15 record. Thanks to a 6-2 stretch since July 29, the Valkyries are currently projected to be the No. 7 seed in the playoffs with less than a month remaining in the regular season.

Burton had her signature performance on Wednesday night. In an 88-83 win over the Washington Mystics, she scored a career-high 30 points on 10-of-13 shooting and 6-of-9 from deep to lead her team to its third consecutive victory. Burton also tallied seven rebounds, seven assists and a steal in her 36 minutes of play.

Her career night wasn't just stellar, it was historic. In addition to becoming the first Valkyrie ever to score 30 points in a game, Burton was also just the third player in WNBA history to post a 30-7-7 stat line on at least 75% from the field. The other two were none other than New York's Sabrina Ionescu and Minnesota's Napheesa Collier, who are both candidates to win MVP.

VB For MIP?

Aug 11, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Valkyries guard Veronica Burton (22) drives against the Connecticut Sun during the fourth quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images | Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

With 12 regular season games left, Burton appears to be on a collision course with the WNBA's Most Improved Player Award. Following an accolade-filled career at Northwestern, the Dallas Wings drafted Burton No. 7 overall in the 2022 WNBA Draft, but she couldn't quite get her feet underneath her. Burton was waived after two years with the team, in which she averaged just 2.5 points, 2.1 assists and 1.6 rebounds per game.

The guard then played internationally before signing with the Connecticut Sun during the 2024 season. Burton's shooting splits improved drastically, and six months later, the Valkyries selected her in the team's expansion draft.

Through 32 games in 2025, Burton is reaching career highs in nearly every statistical category. The former Wildcat is averaging 11.2 points, 5.2 assists, 4.3 rebounds, one steal and half a block per game, with each rate on pace to be the best in her four-year career. Burton has also made a personal-best 38.5% of her shots and 38.6% of her three-pointers this season, significantly improved from her 29.4% field goal and 27.1% three-point percentages from just two seasons ago.

Above all, the Valkyries are winning, in large part due to Burton's contributions. Golden State's leading facilitator has started every game for a completely new franchise and has her team in the thick of the playoff race as the season enters a critical juncture. Regardless of whether she wins the Most Improved Player Award or not, Burton is playing the best basketball of her career and continues to show what she's capable of.