The Golden State Valkyries mined teams in the expansion draft, getting several rotational pieces that led the charge on a short but historic playoff run. No player turned out to be a bigger steal than Veronica Burton.
Burton went from being a defensive-minded reserve for the Dallas Wings and Connecticut Sun to becoming the Valkyries’ most important player. She orchestrated the offense, led the team in scoring after Kayla Thornton’s injury, and provided strong perimeter defense. It was a true breakout season for her.
The Toronto Tempo could replicate that success with one of the guards they picked. We all know what Julie Allemand and Marina Mabrey can bring to the table—it would be no surprise if Mabrey put together an All-Star-level season in a Tempo uniform—but Lexi Held has largely flown under the radar so far and could be the league’s next surprise breakout player.
Held, much like Burton, is a versatile defender and talented scorer, who just hasn’t had much of an opportunity to shine in the W quite yet. The Tempo could give her that chance, and Held could quickly reward the organization with a breakout year. Even if she won’t find herself in a starting role, she should have a bigger role than with the Phoenix Mercury, and that may be all she needs to wow the WNBA world.
Lexi Held played well in her rookie season
Held’s journey to the WNBA was slow and difficult. She went undrafted in 2022 after a strong college career with the DePaul Blue Demons. She didn’t land a WNBA contract and went on to play overseas until she finally got her shot last year.
The Mercury rounded out their star-studded roster with a group of older rookies. Kathryn Westbeld, Kitija Laksa, and Held all made their WNBA debuts with the team last season after consistently playing well in Europe. A string of injuries pushed them into big roles early on, and they did not disappoint.
Held didn’t start a single game last season, but played big minutes in May and June. She took advantage of her opportunity and put together some really solid games, like a 24-point outing in a win against the Valkyries.
The rest of the team eventually got healthy, and Held had to miss some time with a pneumothorax (a partially collapsed lung), which brought the momentum she had built early in the season to a sudden halt. She recovered in time for the playoffs, but only saw the court in two games—five minutes in a blowout win over the Liberty in the first round and seven minutes in Game 4 of the Finals against the Aces.
