In the 2025 WNBA Draft, the Golden State Valkyries selected Justė Jocytė with the No. 5 overall pick, Shyanne Sellers at No. 17 and Kaitlyn Chen with pick No. 30.
The expansion franchise now has eight WNBA rookies on their roster, the most of all 13 teams, and it remains to be seen how many of them will make the final cut. For now though, let’s take a look at the three players picked on draft night:
Justė Jocytė is a unicorn
Justė Jocytė isn’t your typical WNBA prospect.
She was born in the United States to Lithuanian parents, so according to the CBA, she could be considered a domestic prospect, which would have made the 19-year-old eligible for draft in two years. But she has played basketball overseas her whole life—and she has excelled at it.
To the point, despite her commitment to play for Lithuania during the FIBA Women’s EuroBasket 2025 tournament, the Valkyries still decided to use the No. 5 pick on her. That’s long-term thinking right there, and she is worthy of a top selection. Despite her age, she’s been holding her own against adult, physically-tougher players, facing fierce opposition as the top scoring option on the national team. This year, she scored 17 points per game for Lithuania on 43 percent shooting. She can rebound, pass and steal…
