Valkyries star guard Veronica Burton took home the WNBA's Most Improved Player award on Monday, but that may not have been the most special part of her week.

A few days after Burton's win, her dad, Steve Burton, who works as a sports anchor for WBZ-TV in Boston, gave her the sweetest shoutout during his newscast. He summed up what was going on in the Boston sports scene before dedicating a short segment to his daughter's first career WNBA award:

"The biggest story for me right now, well that's an easy one, right? Veronica Burton was named the WNBA's Most Improved Player. ... Veronica, your mom and I are so proud of you. But remember, you didn't bounce back alone, right? You had the coach of the year in Natalie Nakase, and her staff, they believed in you. Your teammates, that built you up and played with you, and owner that took a risk on you. And the best fans on the planet that backed you. I know you won't forget all that. But here on the East Coast, we love you as well."

Here was her reaction to her dad's sweet message:

Burton turned over a fresh page with the Valkyries in 2025 following brief stints on the Sun and Wings. The 25-year-old guard averaged 11.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 6.0 assists while starting all 44 games for Golden State, a notable tick in production compared to her '24 campaign in Connecticut (3.1 points, 1.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists).

The Valkyries, who became the first expansion team to make the postseason in their inaugural season in WNBA history, were eliminated from the playoffs in two games against the top-seeded Lynx on Wednesday. But, Burton still got to bring home her first ever WNBA award and faces a bright future in the Bay, with her family and teammates supporting her along the way.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Valkyries’ Veronica Burton Got Sweetest TV Message From Her Dad After WNBA Award Win.

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