Golden State Valkyries' Veronica Burton knows what it's like to be on the fringes of the WNBA. The Dallas Wings waived her at the start of the 2024 WNBA season, leaving her without a team just two years after the team selected her seventh overall in the 2022 WNBA draft. Burton eventually worked her way onto the Connecticut Sun and subsequently caught the eye of the league's newest franchise, but she remembers the journey.
So it came as no surprise when the heartbeat of Golden State gave Kaila Charles the proper kudos after her impressive performance, collecting 16 points and six rebounds in the win against their former team.
“It's really impressive. I think some people may limit or not understand the challenge that can come from being cut,” Burton said in their joint post-game press conference regarding her teammate's perseverance. The Valkyries signed Charles to a 7-day contract just under a month ago to mitigate the loss of All-Star Kayla Thornton. Since then, Charles has continued to make her way into Natalie Nakase's rotation, which earned her two more 7-day contracts before the team finally signed her to a rest-of-season contract this past Friday.
“Her ability to come in and affect everything, not just offensively, defensively, but also just who she is as a person, is a major testament,” Burton continued, turning to Charles, seated next to her. “To come back to the team that cut her this season and play 35 minutes and impact the game, that is a big testament to who she is as a player but also as a person.”
Confidence renewed for Kaila Charles
The Valkyries needed every bit of Charles' two-way play versus the Wings. On top of her much-needed off-ball offense, Golden State leaned heavily on Charles' perimeter defense to slow down Paige Bueckers.
In the same press conference, Charles reflected on her journey through the WNBA this season, specifically the uncertainty around bouncing from roster to roster on non-guaranteed contracts.
“Everybody's process is different. Just because I was delayed doesn't mean I was denied,” Charles told reporters. “I'm happy that seven days turned into almost a month and that I get to be a part of this culture and this team. It really helped with my confidence and my belief being in this league. You question that when you get cut over and over. So being here has really shown I do belong.”
With any player signed to a 7-day contract, there are always a lot of factors at play that eventually determine whether a player gets another opportunity, many beyond their control. But for Charles, a perfect storm of variables, from injuries to roster needs, has allowed her to stay and succeed in Golden State.
Charles' future with the Valkyries
While Charles has been a lifesaver for the undermanned Valkyries, her future with the team is still murky. Despite signing a rest-of-season contract, which guarantees her salary for the rest of the season, the prohibitive contract/roster limits of the WNBA will eventually force the Valkyries to make another cut once one Monique Billings or Cecilia Zandalasini is healthy enough to return.
Billings has been dealing with an ankle injury, which has held her out since late July. The medical staff reevaluated Billings' ankle this past week, but there is no exact timetable for her return. As for Zandalasini, she's dealing with a calf injury that sidelined her for the Valkyries' two-game road trip. Unfortunately for Charles, her time with the Valkyries will likely coincide with when those two players recover.
Regardless, Charles expressed her gratitude for the opportunity she's seized in Golden State.
“It was a full circle moment. Obviously, I started the season here [in Dallas], and to get cut was sad, but it also gave me the opportunity to get picked up by [the Valkyries]. So even though it didn't work out here like I wanted, it gave me another opportunity where I fit in a little bit more. I've had a great experience with this team and this organization, so it just shows that everything happens for a reason.”
