The Golden State Valkyries opened their 2026 season with a win, and while much of the pregame buzz centered on the debut of star acquisition Gabby Williams, it was second-year guard Kaitlyn Chen who stole the spotlight. Chen dropped a career-high 14 points, looking every bit like a player who spent the offseason deciding she was done being overlooked.

Let's be real: the Bay Area didn't need another pro sports team. We've got the Warriors, the 49ers, the Giants — franchises that already drain our wallets and test our emotional resilience on a weekly basis. But here's the thing about the Valkyries: they're not asking for a taxpayer-funded palace or demanding public subsidies to stick around. They're just playing basketball. And winning.

That alone earns some goodwill in our book.

The Williams debut was solid, and her presence gives the franchise instant credibility on the national stage. But the Chen breakout is what should have Bay Area fans genuinely excited. Homegrown talent stepping up, exceeding expectations, and doing it on opening night? That's the stuff dynasties quietly build on while everyone's looking at the marquee names.

San Francisco has historically been lukewarm on women's professional sports — not out of disinterest, but because franchises have struggled to build the kind of grassroots connection that makes people show up on a Tuesday night in February. The Valkyries have a real shot at changing that, provided they keep winning and keep the experience affordable for the younger fans they need to hook early.

No stadium drama. No public financing fights. Just a team that showed up, competed, and gave a young guard the stage to announce herself.

More of this, please. Less of everything else Bay Area sports has put us through lately.