The FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2025 has arrived, with the 16-team regional tournament tipping off its group stage on Wednesday before the knockout stages begin on June 24th.

Hosted across the continent with games in Czechia, Germany, Italy, and Greece, the 40th edition of the annual competition carries the additional weight of serving as a qualifying event for the 2026 FIBA World Cup Qualifying Tournaments.

As a result, the top five teams in this month's EuroBasket contest will earn automatic spots in one of the March 2026 qualifiers.

Leading the charge to this year's trophy are 2023 winners Belgium, who enter the EuroBasket tournament as reigning champions.

However, 2024 Olympic silver medalists France have since stepped into the spotlight, with the always-dangerous Spain also threatening a podium finish.

Familiar faces to WNBA fans will feature on the 2025 EuroBasket courts this month, as several WNBA players have temporarily departed their US clubs to join their national teams in Europe, including Belgium guard Julie Allemand (LA Sparks), Great Britain center Temi Fagbenle (Golden State Valkyries), and Germany forward Leonie Fiebich (New York Liberty).

As a major international tournament, the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket is exempt from the WNBA's prioritization rule, meaning eligible players can miss regular-season league play to compete in the overseas contest without being in violation of WNBA protocols.

How to watch FIBA Women's EuroBasket in the US

The EuroBasket group-stage action tipped off on Wednesday morning, with all games streaming live on Courtside 1891.

The Golden State Valkyries began building their 2025 debut roster on Friday, when the first WNBA expansion draft since February 2008 saw the league's incoming 13th franchise select its first players.

Other than each team's six protected players, the Valkyries were allowed to choose a maximum of one player from each of the league's 12 current squads, including one total unrestricted free agent.

Golden State selected 11 notable 2024 contributors, leaving only the Seattle Storm's current roster intact.

Loaded with a barrage of both established and international talent, the Valkyries chose seven players who are at or over the WNBA's average age of 27, signaling the new franchise's interest in leveraging veteran talent to form a team who could immediately contend for a championship title.

Ultimately, Golden State GM Ohemaa Nyanin wants her new draftees "to be happy. I want them to understand the opportunity that they have to come and be historians. Once you get to put on that jersey and you get to sit in front of a packed Chase Center, your whole experience is going to change."

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Bench stars highlight Valkyries expansion draft picks

Golden State snagged stellar talent on Friday, including some of the league's top bench contributors, like 2024 WNBA champion Kayla Thornton. The forward, who was likely only unprotected due to New York's incredibly deep roster, appeared in every 2024 Liberty contest, logging the franchise's second-most minutes off the bench.

Other new Valkyries include Phoenix forward Monique Billings, Golden State's lone permitted unrestricted free agent pick, and Connecticut guard Veronica Burton.

Perhaps the most surprising Golden State acquisition was Indiana center Temi Fagbenle, who proved a solid pairing with 2024 Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark in the Fever's 2024 campaign. Her availability in Friday's draft was a shock, giving the Valkyries a solid veteran two-way performer in the paint.

Also on the move is Las Vegas' fan-favorite guard Kate Martin. The surprise second-round 2024 WNBA Draft pick saw her playing time decrease as the Aces' injured roster got healthy last season. This move to the Bay Area, where she'll rejoin former Las Vegas assistant and new Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase, will likely give the guard more opportunities to develop and contribute.

In her live post-draft interview, Martin told ESPN, "I'm really excited. This league is all about opportunity and you just need one shot, right? I'm very thankful for the Aces and everything that I got to learn there, but I am really excited for this new beginning and to build something from the ground up with the Valkyries."

Golden State Valkyries expansion draft selected player and former Mystics guard Julie Vanloo smiles during a game.
New Golden State draftee Julie Vanloo led Washington in assists per game last season. (Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images)

Valkyries roster leans on international talent

Joining the five US-born new Valkyries are six international standouts, with three from last season's WNBA courts and three from various European leagues.

Making intra-league moves are Australian forward Stephanie Talbot and Italian forward Cecilia Zandalasini, selected from the LA Sparks and Minnesota Lynx, respectively. Similarly, guard Julie Vanloo, who's first WNBA season at 31 years old had her leading the Mystics in assists per game, will relocate to the West Coast after Golden State claimed the Belgian sharpshooter.

The Valkyries secured the rights to two athletes who've never played in the WNBA — French guard Carla Leite and Spanish forward María Conde from Dallas and Chicago, respectively. French center Iliana Rupert, who helped the Aces win their 2022 championship before joining Atlanta, also earned a Golden State nod despite opting to play in Turkey rather than the WNBA last season.

Golden State GM Ohemaa Nyanin and majority owner Joe Lacob speak at the Golden State Valkyries WNBA expansion draft.
The Valkyries front office will continue roster building via free agency. (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)

Golden State's next steps

While last week's expansion draft is an important first step in building new squads, expect even more pieces to fall into place early as free agency and the trade market heat up next year.

Though free agency remains frozen until February 1st, Valkyries will have a significant amount of salary cap wiggle room with which to negotiate, as few expansion draft selections are arriving already under contract for 2025.

Golden State will also add to their roster coffers in April's college draft. The Valkyries have been granted the No. 5 overall pick, plus the fifth pick in both the second and third rounds.

The Golden State Valkyries expansion draft selections