Rookie Janelle Salaün temporarily departs from Valkyries to compete in EuroBasket

The Golden State Valkyries will be without their rookie standout for the next few weeks.

French forward Janelle Salaün is reporting to the French National team for the EuroBasket tournament that starts next week, the Valkyries announced on Wednesday.

Salaün joins point guard Julie Vanloo and forward Cecilia Zandalasini as players who have left the Valkyries for EuroBasket this week. Starting center Temi Fágbénlé is also expected to report for Great Britain’s national team, though the team hasn’t officially announced her departure yet.

Golden State Valkyries’ Janelle Salaün (13) takes a shot against Minnesota Lynx’s Napheesa Collier (24) in the third quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, June 1, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

The EuroBasket finals take place on June 29. If a Valkyries player is still participating in the tournament by then, they would miss at least seven games.

According to the WNBA Collective Bargaining Agreement, any player taking a leave to play in EuroBasket has 48 hours to return after their national team has completed play.

Salaün’s departure is a big blow to the Valkyries. Though she had her ups and downs through her first eight games of the year, Salaün was Golden State’s most consistent shot taker.

The 23-year-old rookie is averaging 11.8 points per game on 39.1% shooting from the field and 40% from the 3-point line.

She scored a career-high 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the Valkyries’ 89-81 win over the Los Angeles Sparks on Monday.

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Backup forward Stephanie Talbot and newly signed Laeticia Amihere will likely take Salaün’s minutes while she is away.

Golden State has made a flurry of moves in response to players leaving for EuroBasket. Along with Amihere, the Valkyries signed veteran guard Aerial Powers and released center Kyara Linskens.

The Valkyries’ roster currently sits at 10 players and could drop to nine once Fágbénlé announces her leave.