The Golden State Valkyries have unveiled a new mascot. The awaited moment had been teased all through the past week, when a large purple egg appeared on the outside of Chase Center in San Francisco.
The Valkyries have introduced Violet the Raven, their new mascot, who hatched earlier this week. She made her debut at the Valkyries game against the Connecticut Sun.
Violet is nicknamed Vi and continues the team's theme of Norse mythology, adding a new character to Ballhalla, the nickname Chase Center has on game days. Her introduction brought her team some luck, with the Valkyries defeating the Sun with a 74-57 scoreline.
"Collecting information from her daily flights, Violet brings crucial knowledge back for the leaders of Ballhalla to use in battle. Ravens are considered guardians of good fortune, shape-shifting to trick and defeat any enemies of Ballhalla," reads a fact sheet for the mascot.
This marks the Valkyries' first season as an official team, presenting San Francisco residents and basketball fans with the perfect opportunity to get involved with the WNBA, one of the fastest-growing leagues in the country.
More details about Vi, the raven
The Valkyries have been sharing details of Vi all through the past week, including some adorable videos that show the moment she was hatched.
Violet is purple, like her name, and wears a white Valkyries jersey with a matching skirt. She rounds off her look with sneakers and some glasses to fix her nearsightedness, helping her "achieve the excellent eyesight that ravens are known to have," explains her fact sheet.
"She is warm, open, friendly, curious, outgoing, and fearless. Though she doesn't know how she ended up in Ballhalla, she's thrilled to be here, and loves the Valkyries. She can feel that the vibes in Ballhalla are immaculate," continues the sheet.
"Girls with glasses RISE UP!!!" reads a comment from Violet's introductory post on Instagram.
She joins a roster of adorable and memorable WNBA mascots, including New York Liberty's Ellie the Elephant, the Minnesota Lynx's Prowl, Phoenix Mercury's Scorch, and many more.