OAKLAND — Two days after the WNBA draft, Justė Jocytė’s status with the Golden State Valkyries remained unclear.
“I still haven’t had the opportunity to chat with her,” general manager Ohemaa Nyanin said Wednesday. “In the next couple of days, I’m sure I will have that answer.”
After the expansion Valkyries selected Jocytė fifth overall Monday, Nyanin hinted that there was no guarantee that the 19-year-old Lithuanian point guard would join Golden State for its inaugural season.
Nyanin had said the team planned to speak with Jocytė on Tuesday about a potential timeline for joining the roster, but that conversation did not happen.
The two other players the Bay Area team selected — Maryland’s Shyanne Sellers in the second round and UConn’s Kaitlyn Chen in the third — attended an introductory news conference on Wednesday in Oakland.
Jocytė was notably absent.
Though Jocytė was an intriguing prospect leading up to the draft, the Valkyries’ selection of her was somewhat stunning. Many experts and mock drafts had Golden State picking someone who could help right away.
But drafting Jocytė followed a pattern the Valkyries are creating. She is one of the 13 international players on the team.
Jocytė has been playing in the Euro League since she was 14. While flashing high-level talent as a primary ball handler, she averaged 12.7 points, 2.7 assists and 1.8 steals per game and shot 35% from the three-point line in France’s top women’s league this past season.
Women’s basketball fans in the U.S. might not be familiar with Jocytė, but they should know Sellers and Chen, who are expected to fight for a roster spot in training camp.
Sellers was a draft-day steal for the Valkyries. The 6-foot-2 Maryland guard was expected to go as high as sixth, a surefire first-rounder, according to most draft experts. Golden State picked Sellers in the second round with the 17th pick.
Sellers injured her knee twice in her final two years at Maryland, which might explain why she slipped out of the first round.
Nonetheless, Sellers is happy to be a Valkyrie.
“It’s not about the number, it’s about the fit,” she said. “I’m happy that they decided to pick me, and I’m happy to go somewhere where I’m loved. I’m just excited honestly.”
Sellers averaged 14.4 points and 4.1 assists per game while shooting 40.8% from beyond the arc this past season. She was the first player in Maryland history to surpass 1,500 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists. In Maryland’s Round of 32 game against Alabama, Sellers showcased her scoring prowess as she dropped 28 points in a double-overtime win.
At 6-2, Sellers profiles as a big guard who could help the Valkyries in many ways. As currently constructed, the roster is in need of scoring and playmaking, something Sellers has shown the ability to do consistently in four years at Maryland.
“I think my versatility, being able to slide into different positions and being able to pick up things quickly are going to be things that help me tremendously,” Sellers said.
Sellers’ father, Brad Sellers, was a first-round draft pick of the Chicago Bulls in 1986 and played with Michael Jordan for three seasons.
Chen, meanwhile, was one of three UConn players drafted Monday. The Valkyries selected Chen in the third round, 30th overall.
She played high school basketball at Flintridge Preparatory School in Southern California and was named the Pasadena Star-News player of the year in her junior and senior seasons.
Chen spent her first three collegiate seasons at Princeton, where she was a double-digit scorer almost every game for the Tigers. After transferring to UConn for her senior season, Chen played a complimentary role for the Huskies as a solid 3-point shooter and a floor general in their run to the NCAA championship.
“I think this is really special to be a part of,” Chen said about joining the Valkyires. “So many people have worked so much into making this happen, and to be the first draftees of this team is pretty special.”
Both players received a warm Bay Area welcome. The two were greeted by a crowd of cheering fans at San Francisco International Airport on Tuesday morning, then got their first look at a Chase Center crowd while attending the Warriors’ dramatic play-in victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.
“The atmosphere there was amazing,” Chen said. “It was so loud. I think we’re so lucky to be able to also play in that exact same atmosphere.”
Sellers added, “I was definitely fan-girling over Steph Curry. It was just an awesome place to be and I can’t wait to be there.”
