Lynx lose Cecilia Zandalasini in WNBA expansion draft

The Golden State Valkyries plucked the veteran forward from Minnesota’s roster.

The Minnesota Star Tribune
December 7, 2024 at 12:49AM
Lynx forward Cecilia Zandalasini celebrates a three-pointer during a game against Las Vegas on May 29 at Target Center. (Renée Jones Schneider/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The Lynx lost forward Cecilia Zandalasini to the Golden State Valkyries on Friday night in the WNBA expansion draft.

Golden State will be the 13th team in the league and will start play in 2025.

Zandalasini, a 6-2 native of Italy, played for the Lynx in 2017 and 2018, then was overseas until returning in 2024. The 28-year-old averaged 12 minutes and 4.6 points per game last season.

The Lynx protected six players whose names were not made public.

The Valkyries could choose only one player from each team; they didn’t take anyone from the Seattle Storm.

Golden State’s expansion selections were Kate Martin from Las Vegas, Kayla Thornton from New York, Iliana Rupert from Atlanta, Maria Conde from Chicago, Veronica Burton from Connecticut, Carla Leite from Dallas, Temi Fagbenle from Indiana, Stephanie Talbot from Los Angeles, Julie Vanloo from Washington and Monique Billings from Phoenix.

Fagbenle, like Zandalasini, was on the Lynx’s WNBA title team in 2017.

about the writer

about the writer

Kent Youngblood

Reporter

Kent Youngblood has covered sports for the Minnesota Star Tribune for more than 20 years.

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