SAN FRANCISCO — Off the floor, Golden State Valkyries forward Kayla Thornton is as laid back as one could be.

She seemingly always has a smile on her face, and on the right day, you might catch her singing through the hallways of the Valkyries’ practice facility in Oakland.

But on the floor, everything about the El Paso native is anything but easygoing.

She rips rebounds out of the air with authority, throws her 6-foot-1 frame into every possession and competes with a relentless energy on both ends of the floor.

Whether you’re watching her on TV or inside Chase Center, her presence is impossible to miss.

For her entire nine-year WNBA career, Thornton has been a high-end role player. She does a little bit of everything on the floor, filling gaps wherever needed.

But this season will be different.

Thornton is expected to be one of the Valkyries’ top scorers and a leader on a roster filled with young talent.

Golden State Valkyries’ Kayla Thornton (5) speaks to the media during training camp held at the Sephora Performance Center in Oakland, Calif., on Sunday, April 27, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) 

After contributing off the bench in the New York Liberty’s run to a WNBA title last season, averaging 5.5 points and 2.6 rebounds per game, the 32-year-old is ready to take on a larger role with the expansion Valkyries this season.

“I know what I bring to this table and what I have to bring and what needs to be said,” Thornton told the Bay Area News Group. “When the big moments come, I know that I can step up and lead.”

Growing up in Texas, basketball wasn’t Thornton’s favorite sport. While her teammates spent summers playing travel ball, Thornton laced up track shoes.

“I really thought she would go in the direction of running track,” said Rita Minjarez, Thornton’s basketball coach at Irvin High School in El Paso. “She would do like five events every year, and she was more of a jumper, hurdler, and she ran sprints. I really thought she had that opportunity to go to the next level in track.”

Once Minajarez got Thornton on the basketball court, she was a natural.

Thornton finished her high school career as Irvin’s all-time leading scorer (1,953 points) and amassed 884 rebounds. She was named the El Paso Times’ player of the year as a senior after averaging 28 points and 10.3 rebounds per game while leading Irvin to a Division 1-4A state championship.

But even after breaking school records and winning state titles, Thornton had just one college offer out of high school. The University of Texas, El Paso – a 15-minute drive from where Thornton went to high school – wanted her.

At UTEP, Thornton thrived.

As a senior, she averaged 19.5 points and 10.1 rebounds per game and took the Miners to the Women’s National Invitational Tournament championship game in 2014. She became the first player in the program’s history to average a double-double in a season.

“The city fell in love with her,” UTEP coach Keitha Adams told the Bay Area News Group. “Some of our greatest moments fed off Kayla’s passion and how she played the game.”

But similar to what she experienced in high school, Thornton was overlooked during the 2014 WNBA Draft. After going undrafted, she signed with the Washington Mystics, only to be cut on the last day of training camp.

She spent two seasons playing overseas before resigning with the Mystics in 2015. She played 10 games with Washington that year but didn’t play in the WNBA again until signing with her home state Dallas Wings in 2017.

It was home in Texas where she became one of the league’s top role players. In her third season with Dallas, she averaged a career-high 10.4 points per game.

Traded to New York In 2023, she helped the Liberty reach the WNBA Finals in her first season and played a key role as the team’s sixth woman during the run to the championship last season.

Playing in New York alongside stars Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones, Thornton became a fan favorite, known for her ability to make big shots while being a fearless defender.

“She understands her role and she does it to the best of her ability,” Jones told the New York Post last season.

Golden State Valkyries’ Kayla Thornton (5) puts on her shoes during training camp held at the Sephora Performance Center in Oakland, Calif., on Sunday, April 27, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) 

Now on a much younger team, Thornton said she hopes to be an example for her Valkyries teammates.

After most practices, she makes sure to get in an extra set of shots or is in the training room working on keeping her body in shape.

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In her eyes, it is all part of the job.

“She’s got a blue-collar work mentality. She’s going to dive for balls. She’s going to get your team extra possessions,” Adams said. “She’s going to do a lot of things that might go unnoticed, but that help you win games.”

Minajarez added, “Her personality has always been a big plus. She has the work ethic that could make any team succeed. She showed that everywhere she went.”

Now, she will try to do so with the Valkyries.

“One thing I learned being in New York last year, having so many vets and having superstars and great players on our team, we were all selfless,” Thornton said. “That’s how we were able to win a championship.

“I’ll always stay ready, so I don’t have to get ready. … That mentality, it all just worked out for me in the end.”

Golden State Valkyries’ Kayla Thornton #5 looks to pass in the third quarter of their first WNBA pre-season game against the Los Angeles Sparks at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)