Golden State didn’t have much else besides Leite to draft from Dallas, as the Wings had one of the league’s least productive benches last season, mostly due to injuries.
The 5’9 Leite is only 20 years old and has a high ceiling, but she may not play in the WNBA next season, either. The FIBA Women’s EuroBasket in June could be a factor in whether she will join the Valkyries in 2025.
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Whatever the case may be, having Leite’s rights could be beneficial to Golden State down the line. In the 2023 FIBA U20 Women’s European Championship, she averaged 18.4 points and 4.3 assists per game and led France to the title. She also won MVP of the tournament.
In 2023, she told The Next that she would like to play in the WNBA. Now she has the opportunity to be part of a new franchise that’s looking to make an immediate impact in the league.
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The Wings may have lost a great player for the future, but at least they remain intact for now. They have a decent core to build around this offseason, including the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 college draft, and now don’t have to worry about trying to get Leite to come play in the WNBA.
However, the team could get shaken up during free agency, especially if it’s not able to hold on to the 2023 WNBA Most Improved Player, Satou Sabally. Sabally is an unrestricted free agent and is free to sign with any team when free agency opens. The Wings also have a new front office and continue to search for a new head coach for 2025.
Dallas will get its first look at the Valkyries when the teams match up on June 17 in Texas.
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For more on the 2024 WNBA Expansion Draft, read all our stories from our WNBA beats or listen to our analysis on the Locked On Women’s Basketball podcast.
