Valkyries forward Kayla Thornton has signed a multi-year deal with Miami-based 3-on-3 league Unrivaled, the league announced on Thursday.
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Her debut is set for this upcoming season — in the middle of the WNBA offseason — and her club placement will be determined at a later date.
Thornton joins teammates Veronica Burton, Tiffany Hayes and Gabby Williams – who inked a deal with Unrivaled two weeks ago – as the fourth Valkyries player set to compete in the league this offseason.
“Unrivaled is another opportunity for me to grow as a basketball player while continuing to show people who I am and what I stand for,” Thornton said in a statement.
Unrivaled is set to enter its third season in 2027, having accumulated some of the WNBA’s top talent such as Paige Bueckers, Alyssa Thomas and Breanna Stewart. The league has given an option for players in the WNBA to stay stateside in the offseason rather than playing overseas.
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Last season, Burton won the Unrivaled championship as a member of Mist BC along with Stewart, Arike Ogunbowale, Alanna Smith, Li Yueru and Allisha Gray.
Thornton had a breakout season with Golden State last season, averaging 14 points and seven rebounds en route to becoming the Valkyries’ first All-Star. A season-ending knee injury limited her to just 22 games played in 2025.
The El Paso, Texas native is currently averaging 8.5 points and 5.2 rebounds in her second year with the Valkyries.
Prior to joining the Valkyries, Thornton spent two seasons in New York, where she helped the Liberty win a championship in 2024.
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