The Valkyries had four active players participate in the group phase of the 2026 FIBA World Cup, plus a fifth representative — the No. 38 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, Kokoro Tanaka. Gabby Williams ended the group phase as the overall leading scorer, averaging 18.7 points per game and shooting 55 percent from three. Cecilia Zandalasini (15.0 PPG) and Kokoro Tanaka (16.0 PPG) led their respective countries in scoring, Janelle Salaün contributed to an undefeated start for France and Miela Sowah scored her first World Cup 3-pointer. Team USA, featuring Valkyries' head coach Natalie Nakase and athletic trainer Katelin Knox, and France (Williams and Salaün) both clinched a spot in the knockout stage, while Italy (Zandalasini) and Australia (Sowah) will play each other for a spot in the quarterfinals. Read below to see how each player performed in the group phase.
Gabby Williams
Team: France
Valkyries Teammate: Janelle Salaün
| Date | Opponent | Competition | Result | Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 4 | Hungary | Group Phase | W, 99-53 | 17 PTS, 4 REB, 3 STL |
| Sept. 5 | Korea | Group Phase | W, 95-69 | 14 PTS, 3 REB, 3 STL |
| Sept. 7 | Nigeria | Group Phase | W, 111-56 | 25 PTS, 6 REB, 4 AST, 2 STL |
Janelle Salaün
Team: France
Valkyries Teammate: Gabby Williams
| Date | Opponent | Competition | Result | Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 4 | Hungary | Group Phase | W, 99-53 | 8 PTS, 7 REB, 2 STL |
| Sept. 5 | Korea | Group Phase | W, 95-69 | 4 PTS, 4 REB |
| Sept. 7 | Nigeria | Group Phase | W, 111-56 | 19 PTS, 3 REB, 3 STL |
Cecilia Zandalasini
Team: Italy
| Date | Opponent | Competition | Result | Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 4 | Czechia | Group Phase | W, 63-54 | 19 PTS, 5 REB, 3 AST |
| Sept. 6 | USA | Group Phase | L, 52-55 | 14 PTS, 7 REB |
| Sept. 7 | China | Group Phase | L, 51-71 | 12 PTS, 4 AST |
Miela Sowah
Team: Australia
| Date | Opponent | Competition | Result | Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 4 | Puerto Rico | Group Phase | W, 70-54 | 1 MIN |
| Sept. 6 | Turkey | Group Phase | W, 87-71 | 3 PTS |
| Sept. 7 | Belgium | Group Phase | L, 80-68 | 1 MIN |
Kokoro Tanaka
Team: Japan
| Date | Opponent | Competition | Result | Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 4 | Mali | Group Phase | W, 63-54 | 18 PTS, 7 AST, 2 STL |
| Sept. 5 | Germany | Group Phase | L, 52-55 | 15 PTS, 3 REB |
| Sept. 7 | Spain | Group Phase | L, 51-71 | 15 PTS, 4 REB, 3 AST |
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