How will former Wildcats Nia Coffey and Veronica Burton fare on Friday night?
It’s time for WNBA opening night.
The W is back with three games on the night of May 16, and two of the exciting matchups will feature former Wildcats. Nia Coffey and the Atlanta Dream are ready to take on the Washington Mystics. Meanwhile, Veronica Burton and the expansion Golden State Valkyries are primed to face the Los Angeles Sparks in Golden State’s first game as the league’s 13th team.
So what should fans expect from both players and their teams this year? Let’s dive in.
Nia Coffey
Coffey, a 6’1 forward, was a dominant force with the ‘Cats in all four collegiate seasons, averaging a neat 20 points per game along with 10.4 rebounds in 2016-17. She’s now spent eight seasons in the pros with four different franchises, the last three of which came with the Dream. Her best year came with the Los Angeles Sparks, when she averaged 8.3 points per contest in 2021.
Coffey’s production throughout her career has been somewhat modest, and last season, she saw a considerable drop from 6.9 points per game to 3.3. Coffey became only a part-time starter, with 11 starts in 2024 compared to 31 in 2023. Much of that was due to her struggles with three-point shooting, as she sank tremendously from 40.2% to 27.3% beyond the arc.
As of now, it’s hard to project whether the former Wildcat can regain some time in a starting role. Signs are looking negative, as the Dream will likely have a very well-established starting five. They should roll into the season with returners Jordin Canada, Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray at point guard, shooting guard and small forward, respectively. New additions Brionna Jones and Brittney Griner will presumably hold down the fort in the post.
There’s not a ton of depth beyond those five, however, so it’s quite possible Coffey could garner significant minutes as a sixth player off the bench. Furthermore, the addition of Karl Smesko as the Dream’s new head coach could bolster the team’s offensive production. Smesko was prolific during a long tenure at Florida Gulf Coast, so there’s certainly optimism that he can reactivate that aspect of Coffey’s game.
Veronica Burton
Burton’s situation is quite different. As a ‘Cat, she averaged 17.8 points, 6.4 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game in 2021-22. She’s now entering her fourth year as a pro, and unlike Coffey, she hasn’t yet posted a season above 3.1 points per game. She played for the Connecticut Sun in 2024, averaging 3.1 points, 1.9 assists and 1.4 rebounds per contest.
Now, Burton enters a world of unknown. She was selected by the Golden State Valkyries in the league’s expansion draft, where teams had an opportunity to protect a maximum of six players. In theory, this could help Burton achieve significant playing time, as the Valkyries’ all-new roster isn’t full of superstars since all of those players were protected by their respective teams. Burton logged 20+ minutes in both preseason games for Golden State, indicating a possible starting role on opening night against the Sparks.
Still, the guard room could be competitive for Burton. She will have to battle four extremely capable backcourt players in Tiffany Hayes, Carla Leite, Kate Martin and Julie Vanloo for playing time. All four have positive attributes, with Hayes seemingly locked into a starting role after winning Sixth Woman of the Year for the championship-winning Las Vegas Aces.
That leaves Burton competing with the other three for a starting job, and it’s highly possible we see several lineup switch-ups during the season. Vanloo might have the best case to overtake the former Northwestern star, as she averaged 7.4 points and 4.3 assists per game last year, starting 34 contests with the Mystics. Martin started a couple of games for the Aces, seeing limited playing time on a star-studded squad, but she certainly has potential that she’s shown since college at Iowa.
Finally, there’s Leite, perhaps the biggest wild card of them all. She was picked by the Dallas Wings in the first round last year, but she stayed overseas, winning Finals MVP in the 2024-25 EuroCup while playing for Villenueve d’Ascq. She shot 40.3% last season for the French squad, so the outside shooting potential is there, but it’s hard to evaluate her floor given the lack of playing experience in the United States.
Overall, the Valkyries should expect a major rebuilding year given their lack of star power. On the bright side, though, that may mean more run for Burton, who’s still seeking to establish herself as a regular starter in the league. Both Burton and Coffey were certainly electric to watch in college, so it’ll be fun to witness how both fare in the WNBA this season.