The Golden State Valkyries secured their first WNBA championship Saturday, beating the Atlanta Dream 68-63 to complete a title run in just their second season. The victory came in the first Game 7 ever played in the WNBA Finals, with forward Gabby Williams scoring 30 points as Golden State finished a series that repeatedly changed direction.
Williams earned Finals MVP honors after turning a quiet first half into a record-setting finish. She scored only two points before halftime, then added 15 in the third quarter and 13 in the fourth. Her second-half total was the highest by any player in a half in WNBA postseason history. Kiah Stokes led the rebounding with 13.
As purple confetti fell and fans cheered, Williams credited head coach Natalie Nakase with urging her to stay patient during the first half. While accepting the MVP award after the Halloween victory, Williams said, “I wasn’t gonna lose on Halloween.” The championship capped a rapid ascent for a franchise that had already reached the playoffs in its debut season.
Golden State finished its inaugural regular season 23-21 before exiting in the opening playoff round. That appearance made it the first expansion team in league history to qualify for the postseason in its first year. Ahead of the 2026 season, the Valkyries reshaped their frontcourt by signing Williams following her first All-Star selection and bringing in former Las Vegas Aces center Stokes through free agency.
Williams went on to lead Golden State in scoring, while Stokes strengthened its rebounding. Fifth-year guard Veronica Burton led the team in regular-season assists. Those three players became central to Nakase’s adjustments during the Finals. Nakase, the reigning Coach of the Year and a two-time champion as a player, reduced her rotation and changed several starters after Game 3.
The changes followed two double-digit Atlanta victories that gave the Dream a 2-1 series lead after Golden State won the opener. With greater reliance on Williams, Stokes and Burton, the Valkyries won the next two games to move ahead 3-2. Atlanta forced the deciding game by winning Game 6 on Thursday.
That sixth game began at 12:30 p.m. ET because of scheduling difficulties involving previously booked events at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena. The arena provided a substantially larger setting than the Dream’s usual home, which holds fewer than 4,000 spectators.
Golden State’s success also extended to its business operations. The franchise shares its principal ownership group with the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, and CNBC valued it at $1 billion in May, a first for a WNBA team. The Valkyries led the league in average and total regular-season attendance and have sold out every home game across both seasons at Chase Center, nicknamed “Ballhalla” by fans.
