Golden State Valkyries First Basket Stats 2026: Who Scores First
Cecilia Zandalasini scored the Valkyries’ first basket more than anyone in 2026: 13 times in 39 starts, or 33% of the games they started. Gabby Williams was next with 12. The Valkyries made the game’s first field goal in 52% of their 50 games and won 50% of their opening tipoffs. Everything below is counted from the play-by-play of every 2026 game (330 regular season, 16 playoffs, 1 play-in).
Who scored the first basket for the Valkyries in 2026
First basket for team is the first field goal by any GSV player; first basket of game is the game’s first field goal by anyone. Rates are per game started.
| Player | Starts | First basket for GSV | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cecilia Zandalasini | 39 | 13 | 33% | 9 | 23% |
| Gabby Williams | 43 | 12 | 28% | 8 | 19% |
| Veronica Burton | 48 | 10 | 21% | 3 | 6% |
| Kayla Thornton | 48 | 8 | 17% | 3 | 6% |
| Kiah Stokes | 47 | 3 | 6% | 2 | 4% |
| Tiffany Hayes | 4 | 2 | 50% | 1 | 25% |
| Kaila Charles | 10 | 2 | 20% | 0 | 0% |
How often the Valkyries scored first
| Split | Games | Scored first | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| All games | 50 | 26 | 52% |
| Home | 26 | 16 | 62% |
| Away | 24 | 10 | 42% |
| Regular season | 44 | 23 | 52% |
| Playoffs | 6 | 3 | 50% |
Opening tipoff
| Jumper | Tipoffs | Won | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kiah Stokes | 49 | 25 | 51% |
| Laeticia Amihere | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Team | 50 | 25 | 50% |
How the Valkyries’ first baskets were scored
| Method | First baskets | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 3-pointer | 23 | 46% |
| Other 2-pointer (jumper, hook, tip) | 17 | 34% |
| Layup | 10 | 20% |
2025
| Player | Starts | First basket for GSV | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temi Fagbenle | 0 | 9 | – | 4 | – |
| Kayla Thornton | 0 | 9 | – | 4 | – |
| Veronica Burton | 0 | 7 | – | 3 | – |
| Janelle Salaun | 0 | 6 | – | 5 | – |
| Tiffany Hayes | 0 | 4 | – | 3 | – |
| Kaila Charles | 0 | 3 | – | 3 | – |
| Cecilia Zandalasini | 0 | 2 | – | 1 | – |
| Monique Billings | 0 | 2 | – | 1 | – |
Who scores the first basket most often for the Valkyries?
Cecilia Zandalasini, with 13 of the Valkyries’ first baskets in 2026 (33% of their 39 starts), ahead of Gabby Williams with 12.
How often do the Valkyries score first?
The Valkyries made the first field goal in 26 of 50 games in 2026 (52%): 62% at home and 42% on the road.
Who takes the opening tipoff for the Valkyries?
Kiah Stokes took 49 of the Valkyries’ 50 opening tips in 2026 and won 51% of them.
Is Cecilia Zandalasini a good first basket bet?
That depends on the price. A player who scores first for their team in 33% of starts is worth a bet only when a book prices them below that, after adjusting for tonight’s lineup and opponent. Our models make that comparison every 30 minutes for every WNBA game; see WNBA first basket picks.
Source: WNBA play-by-play and box scores, 2026. Updated October 13, 2026. See the WNBA first basket leaders for every team, or all stats.