Kayla Thornton's Knee Surgery Sidelines Golden State Valkyries All-Star For Entire 2025 WNBA Season

Add as a preferred source on Google

The Golden State Valkyries have announced that Kayla Thornton, their All-Star forward, will miss the rest of the WNBA season due to knee surgery. Thornton injured her right knee during practice earlier this week. This setback comes after she played in her first WNBA All-Star Game last Saturday in Indianapolis, representing the team led by Indiana Fever's Caitlin Clark.

Thornton has been a standout player for the Valkyries, leading the team in scoring and rebounding. She was averaging 14 points and 7 rebounds per game, both career highs. Her performance has been crucial in making the Valkyries a surprise contender for a play-off spot in their inaugural season. Currently, Golden State is ninth in the league standings with a 10-12 record, just half a game behind the Washington Mystics for the final play-off position.

Before joining the Valkyries through December's expansion draft, Thornton was an important reserve for the New York Liberty, who won the league championship in 2024. She began her WNBA career with Washington as an undrafted free agent in 2015 and played one season with them before moving to Dallas Wings from 2017 to 2022. In January 2023, she was traded to New York Liberty and spent two seasons there before being selected by Golden State.

Throughout her career spanning 296 games, Thornton has averaged 7.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. Her experience and skills have been vital to every team she has played for over her decade-long career.

The absence of Thornton is expected to impact Golden State's play-off aspirations significantly. As their leading scorer and rebounder, her contributions have been instrumental in their competitive performance this season. The team will need to adjust its strategies to fill the void left by her absence as they continue their quest for a play-off berth.

Thornton's journey from being undrafted to becoming an All-Star exemplifies her determination and talent. Her leadership on and off the court has been invaluable to her teammates and coaches alike. As she begins rehabilitation post-surgery, fans hope for her swift recovery and return to action next season.