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  • March 15, 2025
Fever fans are in disbelief as Temi Fagbenle is left unprotected, chosen by Valkyries

Fever fans are in disbelief as Temi Fagbenle is left unprotected, chosen by Valkyries

The highly anticipated Golden State Valkyries WNBA Expansion Draft is now in the rearview mirror.

11 players were selected from the 12 current teams, with the Valkyries opting not to select a player from the Seattle Storm. Those 11 players are Iliana Rupert (Atlanta Dream), María Conde (Chicago Sky), Veronica Burton (Connecticut Sun), Carla Leite (Dallas Wings), Temi Fagbenle (Indiana Fever), Kate Martin (Las Vegas Aces)Stephanie Talbot (Los Angeles Sparks), Cecilia Zandalasini (Minnesota Lynx), Kayla Thornton (New York Liberty), Monique Billings (Phoenix Mercury) and Julie Vanloo (Washington Mystics).

Several of these selections were surprising; not because these players aren’t high-level talents the Valkyries would have loved to include, but because fans believed they would be protected by their now former WNBA teams.

A good example of this is the former Indiana Fever forward Temi Fagbenle, who many fans wrote to for protection in the days and weeks before the Expansion Draft.

Unfortunately, she clearly didn’t, and now the Valkyries have chosen her.

Fever fans have taken to social media to express their surprise and sadness that Fagbenle is no longer part of their team.

“INDY DIDN’T PROTECT TEMI???” wrote X user Vanshay Murdock.

Another one X user added, “I can’t believe she wasn’t protected,” in response to an X-post from the Valkyries about securing Fagbenle.

Another one fan noted the seemingly strong relationship between Fagbenle and Fever superstar Caitlin Clark, writing: “No one openly supported Caitlin on that team like Temi did,” along with a GIF of someone shedding a tear.

It will be interesting if Clark and the other Fever players post about Fagbenle leaving Indiana for Golden State.