Valkyries vs. Sparks: Where to watch WNBA expansion team's first game, Kelsey Plum's LA debut

The Valkryies will host the Sparks at Chase Center on Tuesday night

The Golden State Valkyries will check off another milestone Tuesday when they host the Los Angeles Sparks in their first game. Though only a preseason contest, this is a significant moment for the Valkyries, who are the first expansion team to enter the WNBA since the Atlanta Dream in 2008. 

The Valkyries filled out their initial roster during the expansion draft back in December, and have since suplemented it during free agency and the 2025 WNBA Draft. Notably, No. 5 overall pick Justė Jocytė will not be in action on Tuesday. The 19-year-old Lithuanian did not come over for training camp and recently told Basket Europe she will arrive for the 2026 season. 

WNBA 2025 roster tracker: Valkyries waive Laeticia Amihere, Kaitlyn Chen as expansion team makes final cuts

Jack Maloney

Tuesday's game will also serve as the Sparks debut for three-time All-Star Kelsey Plum -- who arrived in Los Angeles from the Las Vegas Aces in a blockbuster three-team trade -- and new coach Lynne Roberts, who was hired from Utah. 

Where to watch Golden State Valkyries vs. Los Angeles Sparks

Date: Tuesday, May 6 | Time: 10 p.m. ET
Location: Chase Center -- San Francisco, California
TV: No national broadcast | Streaming: WNBA League Pass

What the players are saying

Valkyries

"I mean, we know what we want our identity to be, and it's killers," Valkyries guard Kate Martin told reporters earlier this month during training camp. "We want to be gritty; we want to be relentless. We want to be the ones diving on the floor for loose balls. We want to be getting stops on defense. We want to be playing together. We want to be working our tails off and that's our identity for sure."

Sparks

"With all due respect, we finished last last year, so everything that we did last year was thrown out the window," Plum told the Los Angeles Times about the Sparks. "I was brought here for a reason... It's the turn of a new leaf in a lot of different ways, in leadership and investment in the franchise. That's why I decided to come here."

Why the game matters

This is a big night for the Valkyries organization. The result may be inconsequential, but everything else is not. From ticket sales and game night operations to Natalie Nakase's rotations and player performances, this is the first chance to see how everything works for the new team. 

On the other side, this is the first time the Sparks will get to see Kelsey Plum and new coach Lynne Roberts' system in action. This is also their only preseason game, so it's their lone chance to get a look at how young players and those trying to make the roster fare in real action. 

All things considered, this is one of the most meaningful games of the preseason.