Valkyries' Suarez, Storm's Johnson Shine in Preseason

0:00Golden State Valkyries edged out the Seattle Storm, 78-76 in their only preseason game at Chase Center. The spotlight hit rookies, Marta Suarez and Flouge Johnson, swapped on Draft Knight when the Valkyries traded the 10th pick for the 16th to snag. Suarez, from TCU, Suarez dropped her first WNBA bucket in the 3rd quarter, a smooth layup after fakes and dribbles, then grabbed a steal right after. Suarez finished with 5 points and 3 rebounds off the bench, playing heavy defense and Golden State's tight scheme. Johnson starred for Seattle, lighting enough for 12 points on 5 of 10 shooting, handling the ball more and hitting from everywhere. Both showed why they're pros now, with Suarez setting screens and chilling in corners while Johnson took tougher shots. No drama between the rookies despite the trade buzz and PR noise afterward. Johnson shouted out Suarez with a big smile, saying they chatted at the draft. Suarez stayed locked in on team ball, not chasing stats, and both called it just hoops

1:01at heart, even with better talent on the floor. They both dug the pro-level quick. Suarez missed college games after her elite 8 exit just 26 days back and loved the Bay Area crowd with. Rapper Lil Kayla in the house, Johnson called the area dope but is hyped for Seattle life. Expect more fireworks when the Valkyries kick off the season, May 8th in Seattle, assuming both lock-in roster spots as planned. These two are just getting started. This has been California News Today, powered by AI.