Janelle Salaün

Being a top-scoring talent on an expansion team comes with both pros and cons, but in Janelle Salaün’s case — making her first-ever start for a one-game-old franchise — one might say she was playing with house money. Thus, of all the ways for her inaugural WNBA bucket to arrive, one method proved most appropriate: the “bank shot.” In attack mode from the opening tip, the versatile French forward navigates through a rookie-on-rookie showcase against Sonia Citron, powering past the Washington Mystics’ newcomer with a swift right-hand drive, before bidding bonjour through a smooth off-the-window layup. Often unrushed and veteran-like in her polish and poise, the 23-year-old proved pivotal in helping the Golden State Valkyries stamp an emotional, historic first win in Ballhalla. Setting the tone for what the following weeks would include, Salaün impressed through a 10-point, four-rebound, one-steal debut on May 21, 2025’s unforgettable evening.

Three-Star Rookie