The Valkyries rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit and tied the game going into the fourth quarter, but couldn’t outpace the Sparks in the fourth quarter in a 83-82 loss. Still, the crowd at Chase Center was vibrant, cheering on Golden State in their first look at the WNBA expansion team.

The Golden State Valkyries didn't win their first preseason game but the team did far better than many expected them to.

The 2024 champion New York Liberty played six players north of 800 minutes, three of them logging more than 1,000. The Sparks had just three players with more than 800, but Dearica Hamby led the way with 1,346 minutes, the brightest spot in an otherwise dreary 2024 season.