The Golden State Valkyries are absolutely rolling at 31-11, rocking the WNBA’s second-best record, and they are staring down Sunday’s postseason opener with serious championship ambitions in only their second year! They hit the court tonight in Portland before the real show starts, and a huge part of their success? Point guard Veronica Burton, who has been running that offense with an instinctive unselfishness that is a joy to watch. But as the playoffs loom, a familiar question hangs in the air: can she shift from setting up teammates to creating her own shots when games slow down?
That 40-Point Game as a Kid? It Still Haunts Her.
Seriously, this story is wild. Back when Burton was 13 or 14, she was grinding out 500 shots a day with her dad, Steve, rebounding. But then, in the first game of an AAU doubleheader, she was so focused on setting up her teammates that she only took three shots. Her team lost. Her dad, frustrated, told her to get in the car, ready to skip the second game. Veronica started crying, promised to take the shots she needed, and they turned around. She wiped her tears, went back in, scored 40 points, and they won. That push-and-pull, that desire to defer, is still very much a part of her game today as she runs the Valkyries’ balanced and deep offense.
The Numbers Don’t Lie: She’s Found Her Pro Stride.
Burton’s journey to this point was not easy. She bounced from Dallas to Connecticut in her first three pro years before landing with the Valkyries. Now, under head coach Natalie Nakase’s democratic, defense-first system, she has blossomed. While her points (12 per game) and assists (5.7 per game) are similar to last season, she is driving to the basket way more often, pushing her shooting percentage up to 42.4% from 38.7%. Look closer, and her 2-point shooting is a massive 47.5% this season, way up from 42.3% last year. This year she is tied for sixth in the league in assists (239) and sixth in steals (67). The most insane stat? Burton leads the WNBA with an extraordinary 4-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. And get this, her 7.1 win shares rank third in the league. She is absolutely a central character in Golden State’s quick rise to contention.
The Valkyries are in Portland tonight, but Sunday’s postseason opener is what everyone is really looking at. With Gabby Williams emerging as the top offensive threat, can Burton flip that lifelong switch and embrace creating her own offense in the postseason cauldron, against elite opponents, when the stakes are highest? That’s the real question facing her and the team this week.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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