Burton, drafted in 2022, had been cut by Dallas last season and found a home with the Sun. Then, she was chosen by the newest WNBA franchise in December's expansion draft.

Veronica Burton made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:38 remaining, another with 29 seconds left on the way to 22 points, nine rebounds and five assists, leading the Golden State Valkyries to the expansion franchise's first victory with a 76-74 win against the Washington Mystics.

And on Wednesday night, that meant a balanced roster of women who hadn't quite ever had the chance to shine in the WNBA found themselves chasing the broader context here. The Valkyries had lost the first regular season game in the history of their franchise,