Valkyries Make Heartbreaking Injury Announcement Before Wings Game
The Golden State Valkyries have been one of the best stories in the WNBA this season. Making a real postseason push, Golden State is trying to become the first expansion team in league history to make the playoffs in their inaugural season.
One of the driving forces behind Golden State’s success has been the career year of veteran forward Kayla Thornton. The 10-year WNBA veteran made the All-Star team this season for the first time in her career, and entered the break averaging 14.0 points and 7.0 rebounds in 22 appearances.
However, ahead of Friday’s game against the Dallas Wings, Golden State made an unfortunate injury announcement on Thornton.
After ruling her out on Thursday for the game against Dallas, with what the team vaguely labeled a lower leg injury, the Valkyries announced on Friday that Thornton underwent season-ending surgery.
"Golden State Valkyries forward Kayla Thornton, who suffered an injury to her right knee earlier this week in practice, underwent a successful surgery earlier today in San Francisco," the team posted on X. "Thornton will be out for the remainder of the 2025 WNBA season and will begin the rehabilitation process immediately. Wishing KT a speedy recovery."
Golden State Valkyries forward Kayla Thornton, who suffered an injury to her right knee earlier this week in practice, underwent a successful surgery earlier today in San Francisco.
— Golden State Valkyries (@valkyries) July 25, 2025
Thornton will be out for the remainder of the 2025 WNBA season and will begin the rehabilitation… pic.twitter.com/DTOvTNCml6
This news was both surprising and heartbreaking for fans. Thornton played in the All-Star Game without any signs of an injury, but later suffered a right knee injury in practice that has ended her career season after just 22 games. Golden State now faces a real challenge of making the playoffs without its leading scorer.
Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA and WNBA for On SI. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined On SI to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts and in the classroom earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time, primarily serving as a Clippers beat writer.