Veronica Burton has played heavy minutes all season, but she is not showing any signs of fatigue. Many wonder how she maintains her energy level in such a demanding system. Her postgame comments revealed the secret behind her lasting stamina.

The Golden State Valkyries secured a 76-67 win over the New York Liberty on June 28. Burton finished the night with 8 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds. She also posted a dominant plus-25 rating in just 27 minutes of action. 

Burton addressed the workload topic during her postgame press conference. The moment was later shared on X by @kenzofuku. “I feel great. I get to play basketball, so it's fun. I enjoy it, and again, I don't have to play this many minutes because we have such a deep team.”

Golden State relies on Burton as its primary floor general under head coach Natalie Nakase. She handles high-pressure moments in tight games by providing leadership on both ends of the court. 

However, the depth of the roster allows her to manage those minutes without breaking down. A look at her 2026 numbers adds even more context. 

Burton is averaging 12.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.6 blocks per night. She averages 28.4 minutes per night, which is a slight drop from last season.

Golden State sits near the top of the Western Conference with an elite defensive rating. They are also a perfect 9-0 this season when Burton records at least 6 assists. 

Burton's long path to finding a permanent home in the league is a story of patience and perfect timing.

Veronica Burton's journey shows why she has become the Valkyries' foundation

Her early career in the WNBA featured a lot of waiting for the right fit. The Dallas Wings drafted her 7th overall in the 2022 draft. She saw limited playing time during her first two seasons there. 

That lack of opportunity eventually led to a stint with the Connecticut Sun in 2024. Everything changed when Golden State selected her in the 2025 expansion draft.

According to official WNBA records, in 2025 she was the only player to start all 44 games for Golden State. She logged 29.4 minutes per game every night. 

She also posted career highs across the board with 11.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 6.0 assists. She earned the WNBA Most Improved Player award. She also earned a spot on the All-Defensive Second Team.

Drop a comment below and let us know which rotational player you think has made the biggest difference for Golden State this year.

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Written by

Utsav Sinha

Edited by

Utsav Sinha