SAN FRANCISCO — On a Valkyries team that has regularly shuffled through lineups due to injuries and absences, forward Kayla Thornton has been a constant.

The nine-year veteran is having a career year, averaging a team-high 13.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.1 steals. In the Valkyries’ 76-70 win over the Seattle Storm on Saturday, Thornton recorded her third straight double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds.

With key rotation players Cecilia Zandalasini, Janelle Salaün, Julie Vanloo, and Temi Fágbénlé set to compete in the EuroBasket tournament this week, Thornton’s consistency will be needed to keep Golden State afloat for the next stretch of games.

“She’s just super reliable,” Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase said. “I love when people show me that they want to be that person. She doesn’t just talk it, KT backs it up with action. And that’s what I love about KT.

“When she is solid, consistent, and vocal, we usually come out with a W.”

Thornton’s ability to crash the glass and be a consistent three-level scorer has kept her at the top of Nakase’s rotation. On Saturday, she played the entire first quarter and logged just under 36 minutes of play in what was a tight, physical game.

Thornton is 12th in the WNBA in minutes per game at 31.1. No other Valkyries player has averaged more than 30 minutes of court time this season.

Saturday’s win over the Storm marked three straight victories for the Valkyries. In that stretch, Thornton is averaging 20.6 points and 11.3 rebounds while shooting 46.3% from the field.

“I just go out there and do whatever my team needs and do whatever the game brings to me,” Thornton said. “I do whatever I have to do to lift my teammates up and get them going. If that’s my energy, then I’m going to do that. I’m going to stay consistent with that because that’s what my team needs.”

Vets shine in new roles

Since being selected in the expansion draft, Golden State’s veterans have been tasked with becoming impact players.

At previous stops, Thornton, Veronica Burton, Fágbénlé and Monique Billings were expected to supplement the franchise stars.

But on an expansion team, those players’ roles are elevated. Fágbénlé was second on the team with 16 points in Saturday night’s win, while Burton led the Valkyries with nine assists.

Nakase has liked the way her veterans have stepped up to the challenge.

“They kind of all share that ‘I possibly could have been a starter on my unit,’ or ‘I’m right at the cusp of starting,’ or ‘If I was given 15 more minutes, I wonder what I could do,’” Nakase said. “I think that is what they’re sharing right now and that’s what we’re giving them.”

Newcomers struggle

Guard Aerial Powers and forward Laeticia Amihere made their season debuts on Saturday after being signed earlier in the week to fill in for the Valkyries’ departed players.

Both players struggled in limited minutes, as Powers, known for her scoring prowess, missed her only shot attempt in 2:39 of action. Early in the second quarter, she drove awkwardly to the rim and missed every part of the basket from 6 feet out.

Amihere, who returned to the team after being a training camp cut, played just under 15 minutes and had just two points in addition to two turnovers. She was called for two offensive fouls on what would have been made baskets.

The goal for the Valkyries’ coaching staff is to get both players acclimated to the team in practice and through film work over the next few days.

“When we’re on court, we’re just kind of throwing them in a fire and seeing if they can pick up on things,” Valkyries assistant coach Kasib Powell told the Bay Area News Group. “But off the court, it’s the iPad, it’s the computer. It’s just walking through with the scout guys and stuff like that.”

Ex-Stanford star cherishes return

Nneka Ogwumike had a storied career at Stanford. Under legendary coach Tara VanDerveer, Ogwumike was an All-American and was drafted first overall in 2012 by the Los Angeles Sparks.

On Saturday, she made her return to the Bay Area and with the Storm and had six points on 2-of-6 shooting. Nonetheless, the 34-year-old forward was happy to be back in the region she called home for four years.

“There’s a lot of great memories, and most of them definitely involve playing with my sister,” Ogwumike said. “And, you know, beating UConn here at Stanford my junior year. There’s too many to count. I think that any memory of playing in Maples was always great.”

Chen, Bibby signed

The Valkyries signed 2025 third-round draft pick Kaitlyn Chen and forward Chloe Bibby to their roster on Sunday as Fágbénlé, Golden State’s 6-foot-4 starting center, left to participate in EuroBasket for Great Britain.

Fágbénlé was the last player expected to leave for the EuroBasket tournament and she followed teammates Salaün, Vanloo and Zandalasini as players whose contracts will be temporarily suspended while they are fulfilling national team duties.

Fágbénlé is averaging a career-high 10.3 points and 6.3 rebounds for Golden State (5-5), and had a season-high 16 points Saturday. Bibby and Chen both played for the Valkyries in the preseason. Bibby, 26, was the Polish league MVP last season but has largely played professionally in her native Australia after her college days at Mississippi State and Maryland. Chen also played for the Valkyries in the preseason.

Staff writer Joseph Dycus contributed to this story.