The expansion draft for the WNBA’s 13th franchise, the Golden State Valkyries, is set to take place on Friday, Dec. 6. In the Golden State Expansion Draft, the Valkyries will have the opportunity to select from a designated pool of available players submitted by each of the 12 current teams.

Teams submitted lists of every player the team has rights to, including active, suspended, draft/reserved, core and retired players.Teams were required to designate a maximum of six players who are “protected” and thus not available for the Valkyries to select. All other players on each team’s roster are available for the selection.

However, a set number of rules are in place for the Valkyries. They can only acquire the contract, or negotiating rights to, one player per team. They do not have to use all 12 of their selections. The Valkyries also hold the No. 5 pick in each round of the 2025 WNBA Draft.

Additionally, if a player is not signed to a contract for the 2025 season, Golden State will receive whatever rights to such player that the existing club would have had. For example, if the Valkyries take a player set to become a restricted free agent in 2025, they would obtain the right of first refusal that the original club would have held.

The Valkyries are only allowed to select one player in total who will become an unrestricted free agent in 2025. They are allowed to select that player if they have not been cored for two or more seasons. Golden State can then designate the theoretical unrestricted free agent they take as their core player later in the offseason. All other unselected unrestricted and restricted free agents hit free agency like normal.

The list of ineligible players who are playing on or have played on a core contract are:

• Nneka Ogwumike, Seattle
• DeWanna Bonner, Connecticut
• Brittney Griner, Phoenix
• Tina Charles, Atlanta
• Natasha Howard, Dallas

Below is an explanation of the various types of WNBA contracts:

• An unrestricted free agent is a player who has no obligations to any team and is free to sign with any organization. Those who complete a given contract, are released from a contract or have a team option declined are the types of players who can become unrestricted free agents.
• A restricted free agent is a player whose previous team holds the right of first refusal in regards to their next contract. Those players have qualifying offers extended to them at the end of their previous contracts. These players can negotiate with other teams and can sign offer sheets, which their previous club can then choose to match, bringing them back to that club. For example, if Golden State attempted to sign a restricted free agent from another team, that other club could match the contract offer and bring back said player. However, if Golden State selected a player set to become a restricted free agent, they would then be eligible to match any contract offers for that player.
• Each team is allowed to designate one player as a core player by extending a core qualifying offer. This is most often used on a player set to become an unrestricted free agent. A core contract is fully guaranteed and has a base salary equivalent to a supermax deal. Once a core qualifying offer is extended, they cannot sign a contract directly with another team.
• Any player with three or fewer years of service is eligible to be extended a reserved qualifying offer. These contracts are for the minimum, are not protected and are for one year. These players are allowed to negotiate with their previous team on terms outside of the standard reserved contract but they cannot negotiate with other teams.
• If a player opts out for a season, they do not become free agents when their contracts would normally expire. These players can also only negotiate with the team that holds their rights, but there is no qualifying offer to extend since they are automatically referred to as “suspended, contract expired.”

Golden State is also allowed to make trades with teams to either (1) select a player from a given team and trade them elsewhere or (2) come to an agreement to not select a given player.

Below are the 12 players who finished last season on the Sky’s standard roster, in alphabetical order by last name:

Lindsay Allen

Rachel Banham

Kamilla Cardoso

Chennedy Carter

Diamond DeShields

Dana Evans

Isabelle Harrison

Moriah Jefferson

Michaela Onyenwere

Angel Reese

Brianna Turner

Elizabeth Williams

The expansion draft is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 6 and will be broadcast on ESPN at 5:30 p.m. CT.