RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesGolden State Valkyries guard Juste Jocyte in the fourth quarter during a game against the Connecticut Sun on May 25 at Chase Center. (Santiago Mejia/S.F. Chronicle)
Justė Jocytė saw your mock trade proposals.
After all, she is 20 years old. And she uses X. So, even if Jocytė didn't want to think about the possibility of being moved by the Golden State Valkyries ahead of Sunday's WNBA trade deadline, it was always going to cross her mind - and her timeline.
"I cannot just cut off all my social media, because you just see it everywhere," Jocytė, who was often at the center of Kelsey Plum trade rumors, told the Chronicle after Tuesday morning's shootaround at Chase Center. "So (whether) you want it or not, you see it. Of course you start thinking. But it's past the deadline, and I'm still here."
What comes next for Jocytė, the 2025 No. 5 overall pick who has essentially redshirted her rookie season after spending last year overseas?
For now, continued development.
Head coach Natalie Nakase has maintained that Golden State is transitioning Jocytė, a 6-foot guard/forward, into a lead ballhandler. During practices, Jocytė plays with the Valkyries' "stay ready" group, the cluster of players sitting outside Golden State's 10-woman rotation. Jocytė runs the offense in those scrimmages.
Jocytė, a Lithuanian national, noted Tuesday that handling the ball comes naturally to her because she has done it overseas. She said she is most focused on improving her communication and learning to be more "intense" on the court. Nakase, too, said she wants to see more of that out of Jocytė, in addition to her mastering the Valkyries' playbook and getting used to the speed of the WNBA.
"Here, everybody's really loud, and it's not something I'm used to," Jocytė said. "She's looking for somebody that - not saying I don't give my all, but (you) may not necessarily see (that) from the outside. So just to be intense, to give your all defensively, especially, and just be vocal, I guess. So, just need to keep developing those skills."
As a competitor, this season has not been easy for Jocytė. She has touched the court just nine times in 29 games for an average of 6.4 minutes. The last time Jocytė checked into a game was July 10. She has not played more than 16 minutes in a single contest.
Jocytė's current reality is especially challenging considering her overseas successes. She made her pro debut at age 13, played in France's top women's basketball league at 14 and averaged 11.6 points and 4.4 assists with EuroLeague club Spar Girona this past season, per FIBA. She has played a major role on the Lithuanian national team since 2023.
"You start asking yourself questions, doubting yourself even a little bit," Jocytė said. "But for me, it's just having the right people around me to lead me in the right direction and just comforting me when I need to and pushing me when I need to. So I've been dealing, of course, with some thoughts and everything, but just trying to go day-by-day."
Jocytė said she has leaned on her "stay ready" teammates and veteran guard Tiffany Hayes for support. Hayes has been "great, really. She's just been, like, the way she talks to me, the way she comforts me, you can see she's a real vet. So I really appreciate that." Jocytė said Hayes' words of encouragement make her "want to keep going."
Asked about her conversations with the Valkyries' coaching staff, Jocytė said there were no discussions before the season of whether or not she would be in the rotation. But she acknowledged missing all of training camp due to overseas obligations likely did not help.
"Nobody necessarily tells you what your situation's gonna be, like your position or whatever," she said. "So coming here, I didn't expect - I didn't know what to expect, let's say it like that. I came here, I know I was late. I didn't go to training camp, and the team is doing great. So I understand maybe it's a difficult decision, and they don't really know maybe where to put me or use me. But there was no communication like, ‘No, you're not gonna play the whole season.'"
The Valkyries (20-9) sit half a game behind the Las Vegas Aces for the WNBA's second-best record. Golden State has won eight of its last 10 games, reeled off a nine-game winning streak before the All-Star break and owns the league's No. 1 defensive rating.
Nakase's group is well-positioned to earn home court in the playoffs. The Valkyries did not make a move at the deadline in an effort to preserve their depth and connectivity. It makes sense to not shake the rotation up, barring injury, at this point. Golden State's top two point guards, Veronica Burton and Kaitlyn Chen, are thriving.
For Jocytė, that likely means her next two months will look much like the last few have.
"I feel great (about) the team, they've been really nice and supportive," Jocytė said. "Of course, as a basketball player, you just want to come and play. But you just have to take what was given to you and take something out of it. So that's what I'm trying to do."
There’s more to San Francisco with the Chronicle. Subscribe today for just 25¢. This article originally published at Valkyries' Justė Jocytė opens up on trade rumors, bench role: ‘You start asking yourself questions' .
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