Arriving fresh off an 18‑hour flight, after she hoisted the EuroBasket trophy, Julie Vanloo expected to rejoin the Golden State Valkyries and continue with her WNBA season.
But when she landed, Jloo was greeted by an unexpected roster cut. The Valkyries’ official channels had announced her waiver. The post read: “Roster Update: The Golden State Valkyries have waived guard Julie Vanloo. Thank you, Julie.”
Vanloo, the oldest rookie this WNBA season, was selected by the Valkyries in December’s expansion draft from the Washington Mystics. Over nine games this season, she delivered 4.6 points, 4.1 assists, and 1.9 rebounds in 20 minutes per contest, looking poised for a stable role.
Julie Vanloo’s Raw Instagram Response to Valkyries’ Sudden Waiver
In a simple, heart‑wrenching message, Vanloo wrote, “Literally just touched down in the bay. I need some time to process all of this man and put my feelings into words. I can’t right now,” punctuating her words with multiple broken‑heart emojis.
Golden State’s decision to waive Vanloo on June 30 stems from a roster‑management conundrum. Apart from Vanloo, five other EuroBasket‑bound players were on temporary leave in June, including Janelle Salaün and Iliana Rupert for France, Justė Jocytė (Lithuania), Cecilia Zandalasini (Italy), and Temi Fágbénlé (Great Britain).
Head coach Natalie Nakase addressed the roster shake‑up on June 30, framing it as a byproduct of the WNBA’s rigid 12‑player limit and the influx of international duty.
“We need more roster spots. I’m going to probably keep saying that over and over again. Everyone that we have been able to pull in, all our players that are at EuroBasket, they have surpassed my expectations,” Nakase said. “Not only, you know, being a great teammate and a great person, but their skill set of just being ready.”
As per Valkyries’ Instagram announcement, Zandalasini and Salaün were reactivated. Amidst an ongoing WNBA season, the Golden State Valkyries must have been trying to maintain their roster depth. Alongside Vanloo, Chloe Bibby and Bree Hall were waived off as well.
As Vanloo takes time to process this unexpected turn, her future remains uncertain. With veteran poise and international pedigree, she could draw interest from other WNBA squads seeking a seasoned floor general. Additionally, fans will watch closely to see whether Golden State Valkyries revisits its decision or whether Vanloo secures a new home.
