When the 2026 WNBA season tips off Friday night, Veronica Burton will step onto the court in a familiar jersey but with an entirely new mindset. For the first time in her professional career, she doesn't have to prove she belongs.

That's a powerful shift for a player who has spent years fighting for every minute of playing time. Drafted 7th overall by the Dallas Wings in 2022 out of Northwestern, Burton struggled to find consistent opportunities in her first two seasons. A move to the Connecticut Sun in 2024 didn't change much—she averaged just 12.7 minutes per game.

But the Golden State Valkyries saw something special during their expansion draft, and Burton repaid their faith in spectacular fashion. In 2025, she started all 44 regular-season games and posted career-best averages of 11.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 1.1 steals. She even made WNBA history as the first player ever to increase her scoring by 5 points, rebounding by 2, and assists by 2 from one season to the next.

Now, entering her second year with the Valkyries, Burton is no longer the underdog trying to silence doubters. She's the leader of a team looking to take a major leap in just its second season. Coming from a family of athletes, Burton has always known how to compete against bigger, stronger, and more experienced players. But this year, she's the one setting the standard.

For the Valkyries to make noise in 2026, they'll follow wherever Burton leads. And for the first time, she's ready to embrace that role with confidence—not as someone trying to prove herself, but as someone who already has.