Valkyries Lose All-Star Forward for Season With Knee Injury

The injury news puts a damper on what has been an excellent first season for Golden State.

Valkyries forward Kayla Thornton earned her first WNBA All-Star nod in 2025 with the expansion franchise. / Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

The Golden State Valkyries' debut season has gone about as well as anyone could have reasonably imagined to this point. Unfortunately, a season-ending injury to All-Star forward Kayla Thornton puts a major damper on one of the best stories in sports this summer.

ESPN's Kendra Andrews reports that Thornton suffered a knee injury in practice this week that required season-ending surgery. Thornton, a 32-year-old who is enjoying a career year with the Valkyries, leads the team in points (14.0), rebounds (7.0) and steals (1.3) per game.

BREAKING: Kayla Thornton will be out the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery for a knee injury she suffered in practice this week, the Valkyries announce.

A massive blow to Golden State and their All-Star forward.

— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) July 25, 2025

Thornton was Golden State's sole All-Star selection as she's helped guide the Valkyries into the playoff hunt in their inaugural season.

Golden State is 10–12 on the season, with three consecutive losses on their ledger before the All-Star break began. The Valkyries currently have the league's ninth-best record and own a 40.3% chance to reach the playoffs, per ESPN's Basketball Power Index.

Doing so without their best player will be tough sledding for Golden State.

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