A Ballhalla Roadtrip to Vegas to Sweep the Aces!

When Ballhalla showed up in Vegas to sweep the Aces, it was a surprise twist for many sports commentators. Not for us! We called it! Literally, during the KALW Season Two Tip-Off Party last May, on a panel of Valks-centric media, we expressed full confidence in our Valks. Oh heck no, there will be no second-year slump! The Valks of all teams in the W had the most returning players to their roster, which meant this was a year of solidifying the master plan that Nakase and Nyanin already had begun. And here we are. 

We’ve believed in the violet fervor since that first 2025 preseason game, starting a podcast that Mother’s Day to share what we learned about the life of each player. This season, we’ve interviewed some of the players, and learned more while also attempting to document this precious moment in our city. Ballhalla feels so grass-roots DIY Bay and inexplicably magical and therapeutic for ourselves and a bunch of strangers experiencing the same thing. We’ve experienced a lot and are still learning, most recently from a “Ballhalla Will Travel” adventure to Las Vegas.  

Here are a few musings from our first (but definitely not last) Ballhalla road trip.

When people talk about being part of Ballhalla and what it means to support the Valkyries, one thing comes up again and again: how positive, joyful, and safe it feels to cheer for this team. The Valkyries organization embraces inclusivity, and fans describe feeling an extraordinary amount of love and care, both inside the building and throughout the extended violet walls of this fan community.

We saw a beautiful example of that generosity in Vegas. In an interview with fan Marlo Rodriguez, she told us that she had posted on the Valkyries Facebook message board about wanting to travel to Vegas for Game 3.  Another fan reached out and offered her a companion buddy pass, covering her plane ticket! Just like that, the Ballhalla cyber-village made the trip possible.

Marlo made it to Vegas, connected with fellow Valks fans, and helped lead a small parade through the casino toward the arena, chanting “GSV” along the way. It was a happy, gloriously violet reminder of just how far this fan base will go to show up for its team and each other.

In Vegas, we also had the pleasure of meeting Chris Orrey, a retired police lieutenant from Hayward who decided retirement was the perfect time to embark on a journey to understand the world's religions. That curiosity led her to a master's degree in comparative religion and, eventually, a PhD path exploring integral healing and how a 30-day program might affect police officers.

Chris is a gay, ex-cop, East Bay-based Valkyries season ticket holder who is now dedicating her time to exploring healing, human development, and new ways of supporting people in a profession that often carries great stress. Chris spoke with such genuine joy about the community she's found at Valkyries games, the people she's met, and the privilege of watching world-class athletes compete in an atmosphere that brings people together.

And honestly, isn't that the magic of Ballhalla? We hear all kinds of stories about sports fans in other arenas through our algorithm-fed social media feeds. But in our corner of the basketball universe, Chris is just one example of the remarkable human beings filling those 18,064 seats. People with different backgrounds, experiences, identities, careers, and passions, all finding common ground in their love for this team.

We don't know what it's like in every other stadium. But we do know that stories like Marlo’s and Chris's remind us that what we're building here goes well beyond basketball. And the Chase Center, SF. 

So, we'll ask again: Is this the best stadium in the league? And are these the kindest vibes?

Violet, or “Vi”, our adorable, glasses-wearing purple raven, is quintessentially Ballhalla. She’s smart, kind, quirky, festive, a little unpredictable, and radiates an unmistakable “everyone’s invited to the party” energy as she skates around on her roller sneakers. Perhaps a cousin of Velma, she offers library DnD energy with roots in the Nordic mythology from whence the team lore hath sprung. Furthermore, Vi is a highly skilled, flexible and strong dancer, recently following the choreography of KPOP Demon Hunter’s Rei Ami at the last home game against the Aces on Oct 7th. She cheers on fans during mini-games between quarters, running around the arena to hug kids, handing out high-fives, and spreading joy wherever she goes.

Violet’s loving, nerdy joy and quality entertainment are very much in contrast to the  arena behavior we witnessed in Vegas during Game 3. During the game, the Vegas MC announced an “unlucky row” and singled out a row in the fans and family section, including family members of Valkyries players. Bucket$, the Aces mascot, appeared under a spotlight, towered over the row, and proceeded to dump a gigantic bag of popcorn onto the fans’ heads.

Gabby Williams’ sister, Kaylah, was furious after popcorn rained down on her and her loved ones. A Valkyries fan waved her cane at the Aces representatives who approached, expressing how disgraceful the stunt was. Valkyries president Jess Smith left her courtside seats and walked over to check on what was happening.

Kaylah later wrote on X to explain the impact on her family: “My daughter has a corn allergy and her scalp and eyes immediately started burning and itching.”

Beyond the obvious safety concerns, the whole spectacle felt less like clever arena entertainment and more like a bad bullying prank from the 1980s. What made it even more uncomfortable was hearing some Aces fans around us dismiss the reaction from Valkyries supporters with, “It’s just popcorn.”

But it wasn’t just popcorn. It was a public spectacle aimed at visiting fans and families, one that caused real distress and left people feeling targeted and someone’s child is experiencing an allergic reaction. 

Our first Ballhalla road trip reinforced something we’ve believed all along: the culture surrounding a team matters, the way fans treat one another matters and the way an organization makes people feel matters. We’re even more grateful that Violet and Ballhalla reflect common values of chill respect despite differences or rivalry. 

Yes, a few players potentially battling a cold this week, but there is no need to overly worry about VB blowing her nose and that Kiah left practice a bit early since they have a nice long week to recover after sweeping the semifinals!

Going into the Finals, the Valkyries have no players listed on the injury report (amazing!). Overall, the team appears healthy and rested. Even Coach Nakase took time to rest after fainting (and popping back up) against the Dallas Wings October 2nd, trusting her assistant coaches  Ta-Shauna “Sugar” Rodgers, Kasib Powell, and Landon Tatum to come up with a clear game plan for the semifinals against Aces. After preaching to her players the importance of rest and recovery after emptying their tanks, Coach Nakase, in her first press conference back after the incident on October 4th, remarked that, “My players were all, ‘oh now it’s your turn!’ I got even Kiah [asking], ‘What did you eat today?’ So yeah, rest and recovery is/was really important. That’s what I did. I rested. ’”

A big part of the success this year comes down to a roster built on depth, versatility, and trust. Head Coach Natalie Nakase and General Manager Ohemaa Nyanin have assembled a team full of players who can step up whenever their number is called. The WNBA’s Sixth Player of the Year, Janelle Salaün, is one of them, but she is far from alone. In many ways, this is a team of sixth players (quite literally since in the expansion draft teams protect 5 players and Nakase had an eye for the 6th best on each team). 

What stands out, and makes defense difficult to opponents, is that the Valkyries have talent extending well beyond the starting five and don't rely on one superstar to carry the load and on any given night, a different player can step up and put 20 points on the board: Hello Gabby Williams! Veronica Burton! Tiffany Hayes! Kayla Thornton! Kaitlyn Chen! Ceci Zandalasini! Janelle Salaün! And then, less visible in the offensive stats, Kiah Stokes and Kaila Charles with the defense, rebounds, and screens that make the offense happen. Valks clearly have talent extending well beyond the starting five. Aminata Gueye arrived right before the playoffs and has even seen some minutes (high of 9 points against the Aces on October 4th). And we see you, Juste Joycte and Laeticia Amihere in those end-of-practice “stay ready” games so that you, too, are ready at any moment. Same with Miela Sowah and Ashten Prechtel, our development players, who are always cheering at games and ready to step in when activated.

This is the Valkyries’ not-so-secret weapon: a deep, versatile, healthy roster that allows them to keep competing at a high level without overrelying on or over-exhausting any one player. Nakase frequently talks about her “empty the tank” mentality, encouraging players to give everything they've got while they're on the court. She can push them to their limits because she has the flexibility to rotate players, give them time to recover, and bring in someone she can rely on to keep the momentum going. It's a system built on trust that players will play their hearts out and be honest when asked if they need a breather. And it’s a system built on preparation, collective strength, and the confidence that everyone is ready when called upon. 

Throughout the season, Nakase has also consistently emphasized health during press conferences, addressing both her players' well-being and her own. Her approach is refreshing and offers a model for other organizations to follow. She's spoken about prioritizing sleep this season and making sure her players rest and recover before anything else. The message is clear: to perform at their best and reduce the risk of preventable injuries, athletes need to take care of themselves first. This is a team value, and one that is being emphasized repeatedly in press conferences. At the October 4th pregame conference, Nakase said, “You could want to win as much as you want. But when I say empty the tank, if my tank is not full, whether it’s rest, food, hydration, like everything, then I’m not going to be able to give my full self during the game …”

In contrast to this health focus from our home team, Aces Head Coach Becky Hammon acknowledged that injuries had made the postseason a challenge for Las Vegas. “It was just a really tough juggle with a lot of injuries,” she said. And with the Aces leaning heavily on their starters while the Valkyries continued to rotate fresh players off a deeper bench, the difference in depth became increasingly apparent as the series wore on, even when Talbot and Loyd both returned by game 3.

In a league where demanding schedules can take a toll, the Valkyries are showing that prioritizing player health (physical, mental, and emotional) isn't separate from building a winning team. It's part of the game plan. It’s even part of their infrastructure with a Director of Performance, Dr. Lorena Torres Ronda, who crossed paths with Nakase (and Becky Hammon) when they all worked for the NBA San Antonio Spurs. Torres Ronda has 15 years of experience in the field of elite sport performance and has emphasized these same key facets of the Valks wellness that seem to shape this team: defense wins championships, and so do healthy bodies, brains, and hearts. And this may be another reason why the Valkyries were able to sweep the Aces in 3 back-to-back games. It also may be yet another reason why fans love them so much: they not only win, they do so while embodying the importance of taking care of themselves and each other.

We’ve talked a lot about how fortunate we are to have a general manager with an open eye for international talent. In contrast to the Aces 2 international players (one who used to be a Valk!), the Valkyries have a majority: Zandalisini from Italy, Amihere from Canada, Jocyte from Lithuania, developmental player Sowah from Australia, draft pick Tanaka from Japan, and 3 players from France: Salaün, Gueye, and binational Williams Not to mention, we are cheering on French Iliana Rupert on parent leave this season, announced in May.  

Our French national team heroes who also bleed violet had us wearing berets in Vegas and screaming “Allez les Violettes” (based on the popular French national cheer “Allez les Bleues”). 

Janelle Salaün has been with the Valkyries since day one and has grown to be a key Valk in these quick two seasons. This past week she was named the WNBA Sixth Player of the Year. Add that to her incredible tomboy tunnel fits, her gametime quiet fierceness balanced by cute background thumbs-up memeability and dancing silliness post-game, and we have yet another reason to celebrate the depth of our joie de vivre when it comes to our French players!

Gabby Williams grew up proudly binational, American and French. She joined us this season with a steady desire to win and to step up as a leader, bringing a whole new caliber of play and intensity to the Valkyries. And yes, she recently earned France’s prestigious Alain Gilles Trophy, recognizing her as the country’s basketball player of the year. She was also captain of France’s World Cup team, leading other WNBA players including Valkyries Janelle and Aminata, as well as former Valk Carla Leite and Seattle Storm’s Dominique Malonga (who dunked in the All-star game).

Most recently, Aminata Gueye joined the Valkyries, and although she’s still getting settled in, she’s already bringing plenty to the table. Some have called her a “brick wall,” while others are delighted to discover that she can shoot, too, not just rebound. But what we love most is how she shows up for her teammates. Coach Nakase described her as “rainbows and sunshine, high energy and Redbull times a million.” On the court, her presence gives Kiah Stokes, a championship-seasoned veteran, a breather. Off the court, Gabby reports that Ami is great at cracking jokes, especially making Janelle laugh. 

The beauty of how this team was built shows that it’s not about individual accolades or stars. It’s about finding players whose strengths complement one another, who make each other better, and who understand that winning takes a whole crew, a sisterhood. And when that crew brings a little French flair to Ballhalla? Très magnifique. 

But beyond the wins and the way their skills complement one another, what we love most is how much FUN this team seems to be having. They genuinely enjoy playing together, and that joy is contagious!

If you haven’t read our profiles on MerciSF Janelle Salaün, Gabby Williams or Aminata Gueye, go check them out! We’ve also got videos of our interviews with these incredible athletes, where they get to express themselves in French. Oui, oui!

In conclusion, we didn’t need a road trip to Vegas to fall in love with the Valkyries. We’ve been all in since Day 1, with a “clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose” kind of conviction. But taking Ballhalla on the road gave us a new perspective: seeing how other teams and fan bases operate only deepened our appreciation for what we’ve built here in the Bay. The Valks may still have the Finals ahead of them, but Ballhalla has already shown us what championship energy looks like! And, to be crystal clear, let’s take that vibe to Atlanta!