Former WNBA Teammates Reunite After Being Released
Though the Golden State Valkyries are the newest WNBA team, former Valks alums are already making a name for themselves across the league. The Bay Area’s first WNBA franchise continues to make history as one of the most successful expansion teams the league has seen, but head coach Natalie Nakase and general manager Ohemaa Nyanin have had to make playing time and roster decisions to keep Golden State’s momentum going.
However, two former Valkyries released by the franchise have reconnected and stayed strong in the “W” this season.
Former Valkyrie guards Julie Vanloo and Mamignan Tourè reunited ahead of the Los Angeles Sparks’ road game against the struggling Connecticut Sun.
Tourè, now playing for Connecticut, and Vanloo, a contributing role player for the Sparks, greeted each other with smiles before facing off at Mohegan Sun Arena Thursday evening.
Vanloo posted a first-person Instagram story meeting Touré pre-game and giving her a hug. She captioned the interaction “Le souriiiiiii ma belle”, in French, meaning “smile, my dear.”
Vanloo expressed her disappointment when she was cut by the Valkyries soon after returning home from FIBA EuroBasket. She had skipped celebrating a gold medal finish with the Belgian National Team to return to Golden State.
Vanloo was quickly signed by the Los Angeles Sparks, reuniting her with Belgian teammate Julie Allemand. In an interview with Jarrod Castillo of the Daily Mirror, Vanloo revealed that the first ever WNBA game she attended as a fan was in Los Angeles, watching the Sparks. "My first WNBA game ever that I watched was here in this gym, watching the L.A. Sparks as a fan," Vanloo said. "And the circle is full for me right now.”
Mamignan Touré, known as “Migna” is a 6’0” shooting guard out of France. She played for Spar Girona in Spain during the 2024–25 season before being signed by the Valkyries during training camp in late April.
Closing their preseason 1-1, Mamignan Touré powered the @Valkyries to their first preseason win in franchise history 🤩
— WNBA (@WNBA) May 12, 2025
Touré went to work on the offensive end, dropping 19 PTS, 4 3PM, and shooting 7-13 from the field!#WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/DYryLbL1Ga
In a preseason game for Golden State, Touré recorded 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting, including four made three-pointers. The performance contributed to the franchise’s first ever preseason win, but Touré was released before the regular season began. She was signed by the Sun on Monday.
Anwar Stetson is a Multimedia Sports Journalist from Los Angeles, California. He previously worked as a TV News Reporter for KRCR News Channel 7 in Chico, California--covering politics, local news, wildfires, crime, and high school football. As an Assistant Editor for Spectrum Sportsnet: Los Angeles, Anwar worked on award-winning programs Backstage:Lakers and Backstage:Dodgers, giving viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the two franchises' most prominent athletes. Anwar is a graduate of the University of Southern California, where he received his Master's Degree in Specialized Journalism (Sports Emphasis) in 2019. He graduated from the University of California, Merced with a B.A. in English in 2016. In addition to Sports Illustrated, Anwar covers high school sports for Prep Network, and the WNBA for The Sporting Tribune.