The Golden State Valkyries have taken the WNBA by surprise in 2025. Boasting one of the league's top defenses, the expansion Valkyries have sold out every home game at San Francisco's Chase Center and rank second in attendance -- all while sitting in a playoff spot as the regular season enters the home stretch.
With 13 games remaining, the Valkyries (16-15) are seventh in the WNBA standings and have a 5-3 record since star forward Kayla Thornton suffered a season-ending knee injury in July. Golden State's 74-57 home win over the Connecticut Sun on Monday was momentous for two reasons: it pushed the Valkyries back over .500, and it saw the team's mascot introduced at last.
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Five days after a purple egg appeared outside Chase Center, Monday night's hatching revealed Violet the raven as the Valkyries' mascot. Violet's unveiling was part of a "Bird Watchers Night" promotion, in which fans peered through team-provided binoculars to watch Violet's introduction.
heyyyyy besties ✌️ https://t.co/hFXVE5CHgu pic.twitter.com/DNiaJ86rKz
— Violet (@valkyriesvi) August 12, 2025
But why a raven?
USA Today's Meghan Hall pointed out that ravens are commonly seen as sidekicks to valkyries -- the female warriors who guide the souls of the dead to Valhalla in Norse mythology.
Hall pointed out that ravens are "smart, clever and playful" -- and they flock together, drilling down on the Valkyries' identity as a connected, hard-nosed team.
Golden State fans though will have to wait a few more days to see "Vi" again, as the Valkyries' next two games are in Washington and Chicago. The Valks return home on Sunday to take on the Atlanta Dream.
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