Free agent Tiffany Hayes signs with expansion Valkyries - ESPN

Free agent guard Tiffany Hayes, the 2024 WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year, has signed with the Golden State Valkyries, the team announced Thursday.

Golden State had its eyes on Hayes for a while, sources told ESPN's Kendra Andrews. The Las Vegas Aces protected her during the expansion draft and tried to retain her in free agency before she decided to sign with the incoming expansion team.

«Tiffany is a dynamic scorer who can change the momentum of a game in an instant,» Valkyries general manager Ohemaa Nyanin said in a statement. «Beyond her on-court impact, she brings an infectious energy and selfless approach that elevates everyone around her. Her willingness to contribute in any way needed, combined with her defensive intensity and scoring ability will add another important piece to what we're building here in the Bay Area.»

Hayes will be reunited with Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase, who served as an assistant with the Aces.

«Having coached Tiffany last season in Las Vegas, I know firsthand the impact she brings both on and off the court,» Nakase said. «Her versatility, intensity, and ability to score will be invaluable as we build our team's identity. She's also an exceptional mentor who understands what it takes to play, and succeed, at the highest level.»

Hayes, a 2012 second-round pick out of UConn, spent the majority of her WNBA career with the Atlanta Dream. She put together her best season in 2018, earning all-WNBA first team and all-defensive second team honors while coming in sixth in MVP voting. She was a WNBA All-Star selection in 2017.

Hayes announced her retirement from the WNBA in December 2023 but opted to come back in 2024, signing midseason with the then-two-time defending champion Aces.

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