Dallas Wings forward Awak Kuier (34) gives a thumbs up to a teammate during the first half of a game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on August 14, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect Nathan Doyle · Women's Fastbreak On SI Sun, November 8, 2026 at 8:36 PM UTC · 3 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Underappreciated stars with something to prove -- a formula that led the Golden State Valkyries to a championship in their second year as a franchise. Head coach Natalie Nakase built defensive foundations that few opponents could break down. Adding a player of Awak Kuier's quality to that mix would instantly make the Valkyries favourites to go back-to-back.
For some unknown reason, only Jose Fernandez knows, the Dallas Wings' head coach refused to crown Kuier as the team's defensive anchor, despite struggling in that department all year. Fernandez continued to field Alanna Smith in that role, but the 30-year-old forward failed to recapture her 2025 Co-Defensive Player of the Year form.
Even with just 26 starts in 41 appearances, Kuier did enough in her limited game time to establish herself as one of the WNBA's most intimidating defenders. Despite averaging just 18.6 minutes per game, Kuier recorded an impressive 1.8 blocks per contest, with a career-high 7 blocks coming in the Wings' 91-85 win over the Indiana Fever.
With the Valkyries, Nakase has created a system where no player is bigger than the team. Everybody knows their role on both sides of the court; if their performances fall below the high standards set by the head coach, they are out of the rotation. The 2026 Sixth Player of the Year, Janelle Salan, fell victim to this brutal approach during the Valkyries' playoff triumph.
Kuier has proven in Dallas that she is willing to bide her time and snatch any opportunity that comes her way. Her selfless mentality allows the Finnish international to put the team before her own personal needs. Aside from Gabby Williams , the Valkyries have avoided building the franchise around individual stars. Culture remains a priority for Nakase, and Kuier fits that philosophy perfectly.
Golden State is now building from a position of power. The franchise could bolster its offensive weapons, but it makes more sense to take a similar approach that allows the team's defense to be its biggest superpower. A rotation of Kiah Stokes and Kuier would be a scary proposition for any opponent, and the idea of both stars on the floor at the same time should send shivers down the spines of WNBA organisations.
Making this dream a reality comes with issues. Kuier is a restricted free agent this offseason , so while teams can offer her a lucrative contract, the Wings will have the opportunity to match or beat what's on the table. Given Dallas' defensive woes, the Valkyries will have to commit a significant chunk of their salary cap to strike an agreement.
The semantics of a deal might be complicated, but if Golden State can add Kuier to the roster, this team will be on course for back-to-back championships. If the WNBA struggled to score points against the Valkyries before, then they'd better hope this idea never becomes concrete.
Gabby Williams Leaves No Doubt Who the Star Is in Valkyries' WNBA Title Run
The 10 Best Restricted Free Agents Available After the 2026 WNBA Season
Valkyries Should Chase Big Offseason Addition Despite WNBA Championship
How to Watch Dream vs Valkyries WNBA Finals Game 7: TV Channel, Time, Streaming
Valkyries Players Fire Back at Angel Reese's 'Too Small' Taunt After WNBA Title
This article was originally published on www.si.com/onsi/womens-fastbreak as Awak Kuier Is the Perfect Match for the Valkyries' Championship Blueprint .
Source: Sports
0 Comments