SAN FRANCISCO, CA – APRIL 25: Laeticia Amihere #3 of the Golden State Valkyries dribbles the ball during the game against the Seattle Storm during a 2026 preseason game on April 25, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO — After the Golden State Valkyries‘ preseason win over the Seattle Storm, Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase was practically beaming with pride when she discussed the performance of her backup power forward/center, Laeticia Amihere. When asked about her reaction to Amihere’s emphatic block on Storm center Dominique Malonga‘s attempted hook shot early in the second quarter, Nakase was quick to note “that block to me – that really sent a message. Like (did) they say something? She’s (Amihere) like, ‘no’. And that’s LA, you know, she kills with silence and I love that about her.”
It’s often said that the silent ones are the most dangerous: the quiet, observant individuals are more formidable than their louder counterparts because they process information, analyze weaknesses and act strategically rather than impulsively. They are often considered dangerous because their lack of verbal remarks makes their intentions, thoughts and potential actions unpredictable.
Nakase’s statement served as both praise and as an assessment of Amihere’s approach to her second year with the Valkyries. Despite coming off of her best season in the WNBA, Amihere entered the Valkyries’ 2026 training camp with two priorities in mind: 1) earning her spot on the main 12-player roster and 2) further solidifying the trust her teammates have in her.
At the onset of training camp, Amihere let it be known to her teammates, to the coaching staff, and even to the media that were present.
“I’m ready to guard 1-5. If our guards are pressuring the ball, they’ll know I’ll be there to provide backside help,” Amihere said.
Amihere’s words weren’t so much a goal, but a soft-spoken promise.
But in this day and age, silence can be misconstrued as timidness or hesitation. But for Amihere, her moments of silence on the court represent focus, concentration, and at times, intimidation. For a player who has experienced almost all the highs and lows that the WNBA has to offer in her first three years in the league, a silent workmanlike approach has helped Amihere forge ahead in her quest to become an established, high-level professional basketball player.
After being drafted eighth overall by the Atlanta Dream in the 2023 WNBA Draft, Amihere was limited to just 6.2 minutes of playing time per game during her first her two seasons. As such, Amihere struggled to find any rhythm or consistency on either end of the floor and was waived by the Dream prior to the beginning of the 2025 season. The justification for her release (as given by fans and couch coaches) were all tied to the idea that Amihere just didn’t fit in the league: She wasn’t a shooter. She’s not a traditional rim protector. She’s a tweener.
But as coaches and players will often say: the success of a professional athlete often comes down to timing and environment. As fate would have it, the 2025 Golden State Valkyries, the expansion team in the Bay Area that was determined to leave no stone unturned, was in search of a rim-running big. Within the Valkyries’ front court construct, cutting was as valuable as spot-up shooting. As for the defensive end, mobile forwards that possessed length and lateral quickness offered just as much utility as bigs with sheer size.
All of a sudden, Amihere’s perceived weaknesses became strengths for Golden State.
Despite averaging 12.5 PPG (points per game) while shooting 60.0% from the field in 2 preseason games with Golden State, Amihere had to wait a month to rejoin the team once a spot opened up on the 12-player roster. But in that month away from the team, Amihere paid attention to what the Valkyries needed and correctly identified what she could do to help address their needs. What’s fascinating is that Amiehre didn’t really reinvent herself in order to adjust to Golden State’s system. Rather, Amihere optimized her game by singling out her best skills and attributes and finding ways to position herself to contribute early and often.
Laeticia Amihere prepares for a jump ball against the Dallas Wings during the 2025 WNBA Regular Season. (Photo: Rachel Schouler | The Podium Finish)
The arduous and taxing post-ups were replaced with swift and decisive cutting off the ball. Amihere ultimately finished the 2025 season with a FG% of 63.2% when scoring off cuts (64.3 TS% when factoring in the free throws that she drew on such plays). And because she made a concerted effort to improve her handle, Amihere was able to get herself deeper in the paint and finish up and around the rim.
The adjustment in Amihere’s approach was evident and revelatory: she shot 54.6% on layups (53/97); in contrast, she only attempted a total of 3 runners and hook shots. This streamlined offensive approach resulted in Amihere leading the team in free throw rate (55.3%), thus highlighting her ability to absorb and play through contact. Subtle adjustments that manifested in resounding results.
While Amihere’s offensive improvements have allowed her to play more freely in her allotted minutes, defense is still her calling card. In the absence of a prototypical rim/paint protector, the 2025 Valkyries led the league in defensive possessions defended in a zone. Golden State’s defensive scheme was far from a gimmick, as all five players on the court were required to jam the ball-handler at the hip and deny early dribble penetration. Amihere was by far the Valkyries’ best big at switching and defending in space.
In lineups that included Amihere, the Valkyries had a defensive rating (an estimate of the number of points allowed per 100 possessions) of 96. For context, the Minnesota Lynx finished the 2025 season with a league-best 100.0 DRTG (defensive rating). Although the Valkyries didn’t force as many live-ball turnovers as their peers, they excelled at forcing and contesting opponents’ shots outside of the paint.
Amihere’s unique ability to defend both sides of the pick-and-roll, both the roll man and the ball-handler, directly led to Golden State leading the league in defensive FG%. For the season, opponents shot only 40.5% from the field versus the Valkyries and Amihere’s defensive versatility was one of the reasons Golden State’s moving zone defense was so effective.
Although Year 1 in the Valkyries system gave Amihere multiple reasons to be excited and eager about her future in Golden State, her poise and calm demeanor before and after practice throughout training camp has been reflective of the team’s overall mindset: Year 2 is a whole different beast. With the departures of veteran centers Temi Fágbénlé (Toronto Tempo) and Monique Billings (Indiana Fever), Amihere is presented with both an opportunity at more playing time and the chance to fill a leadership void in the frontcourt.
“Yeah, I think it’s year two for me… so I’m being kind of a leader on the court. I’m out there talking a lot more and helping the newcomers this year,” said Amihere. “I think I’m always, especially on the court, I’m a big vocal person. I’ve always been somebody that tries to be the loudest in the gym. I think obviously off the court I’m a little bit more introverted… but you know, once I get out of my shell, I’m kind of loose with it.”
Make no mistake, Amihere has no problem being vocal with her teammates – providing support and encouragement through the ups and downs of a WNBA game and calling out the necessary defensive coverages and adjustments that her team needs to execute. But if she has the choice between talking trash to an opponent after a scoring a big bucket or getting back on defense to pick up a ball-handler full court, Amihere is more likely to exert her energy getting back in transition and finding ways to play lockdown defense.
“You got to use your voice,” says Amihere. “It’s kind of pestering a little bit in the beginning, but once you get going, you can see that it really helps you and also helps your team as well.”
Although Amihere’s growth and maturation as a professional basketball player has come a long way in such a short amount of time, she will likely be the first to tell you that there are several aspects of her game that need refining. It would behoove her to become more comfortable defending in a drop; her 3P shot is a work in progress; she still has room to improve both the timing and angles of her screens in high pick-and-roll action.
And yet, all of this speaks to how impressive Amihere’s development has been with the Valkyries. At this time last year, Amihere was quietly working to find ways to just fit into Golden State’s system and culture. One year later, and Amihere is now a definitive part of the team’s identity (and ideally their future as well).
While there is a lot of work ahead, Laeticia Amihere’s evolution from Year 1 to Year 2 with the Valkyries isn’t just about her counting stats; it’s about the psychological shift into becoming a player who commands the floor. As the Golden State Valkyries look toward the 2026 WNBA season, they do so with an up-and-coming defensive anchor who has found her voice and is using it to build a wall of communication, intensity, and accountability. Amihere may “kill with silence,” but her overall impact rings loud in Ballhalla.
