Valkyries Coach Reacts to Unexpected Play in Loss to Lynx
Despite Saturday’s 82-71 loss at Minnesota, the 9-8 Golden State Valkyries were competitive well into the second half with the first place Lynx on the first of a four-game road trip. Golden State out-rebounded the Lynx 33-31, and also finished with four more points in the paint.
However, Valkyries guard Tiffany Hayes was the star of the show on the perimeter, leading all scorers with a season-high 23 points and five three pointers. One of her deep threes in the second half left an impression on head coach Natalie Nakase.
“First time ever! Throw that on Sportscenter!” Nakase said at the postgame press conference.
wait can we go back to this @tiphayes3 shoeless three real quick? 😳 pic.twitter.com/ROiKkohU47
— Golden State Valkyries (@valkyries) July 6, 2025
A 25-foot contested jumper from beyond-the-arc with five seconds left on the shot clock– which Hayes made while wearing only one shoe. The play may remind basketball fans of Mike Miller’s famous shoeless three pointer during Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals. The bucket, assisted by Stephanie Talbot, came with 5:34 left in the 3rd quarter and cut the Valkyries deficit to two.
Golden State took the lead less than a minute later, but Minnesota broke off a 15-4 run to end the third which helped secure a victory.
Hayes, a former All-Star and reigning Sixth Player of the Year, was a massive roster addition for the Valkyries when she signed with the franchise early in 2025. Hayes retired in 2023 as a member of the Connecticut Sun after a decade with the Atlanta Dream.
She came out of retirement during the 2024 season, signing with the Las Vegas Aces before joining the expansion Valkyries. The Florida native is a citizen of the nation of Azerbaijan. She played with the Azerbaijani national team during the 2024 Paris Olympics, helping defeat Team USA in the 3x3 basketball tournament.
Hayes returns to play her former team Monday night as the Valkyries take on the Atlanta Dream on the road.
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.