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The Golden State Valkyries have agreed to a contract with former Atlanta Dream forward Monique Billings, securing her spot on the team for their inaugural WNBA season. Billings, 28, was selected by the Valkyries in the WNBA expansion draft from the Phoenix Mercury and will now officially join the roster as the franchise prepares for its debut campaign.
A league source confirmed that Billings’ deal is undisclosed, though expectations are that she will sign for slightly above the veteran minimum. The Valkyries opted to select Billings in the expansion draft despite her status as an unrestricted free agent, signaling their intent to retain her in free agency rather than selecting a player already under contract from Phoenix.
Billings was playing in China at the time of the expansion draft.
“I’m so honored to be in this new market, to be a part of an expansion team,” Billings said, as reported by Marisa Ingemi of the San Francisco Chronicle. “That’s something I never even dreamt of before as even being possible. So being able to be kind of a pioneer with a new team is nothing short of a blessing.”
Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase praised Billings’ energy and work ethic, emphasizing her value to the team’s playing style.
“The first thing that catches your eye about Monique is how hard she plays,” Nakase said. “She rebounds the ball, she can cut to the inside, she can protect the rim. She’s the kind of player who will dive after a loose ball on the floor. We feel like we can depend on her.”
Billings had a whirlwind 2024 season, playing for both the Dallas Wings and Phoenix Mercury after being waived by the Los Angeles Sparks before the start of the season. She averaged 7.4 points and 5.8 rebounds across 37 games, starting 14.
She was first drafted by the Dream in the 2018 WNBA draft as the 15th overall pick after a collegiate career with UCLA women’s basketball. She played with Atlanta from 2018 until 2023.
The Valkyries’ decision to retain Billings instead of pursuing a high-profile free agent caught some around the league off guard, per Ingemi. Expansion teams were permitted to select only one unrestricted free agent, and some expected Golden State to use the pick on a player who could command a core designation and a supermax contract.
