The Golden State Valkyries defeated the Atlanta Dream 68–63 in Game 7 of the 2026 WNBA Finals on Saturday to win their first WNBA championship — two years after entering the league as an expansion team.
Golden State became the first expansion franchise in WNBA history to reach the playoffs in its inaugural season. The Valkyries lost a first-round series to the Minnesota Lynx in the 2025 postseason.
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In the 2024 expansion draft, the Valkyries selected guard Veronica Burton and forward Kayla Thornton — a former WNBA champion — along with Italian forward Cecilia Zandalasini. Guard Tiffany Hayes signed in free agency. Forward Janelle Salaun joined on a training camp contract. The Valkyries used the No. 5 pick in the 2025 draft on Lithuanian forward Juste Jocyte, who remained overseas that season.
Guard Gabby Williams signed with Golden State in 2026 after the Seattle Storm assigned her a core designation in the 2024–25 offseason. Owner Joe Lacob, head coach Natalie Nakase and general manager Ohemaa Nyanin jointly recruited her. Williams said Lacob told her, “This is why we are going to win… I want to build dynasties here.” She added, “I was so convinced that I would not win anywhere else.”
Center Kiah Stokes joined Golden State in 2026 after four seasons and three titles with Las Vegas. With Iiana Rupert sidelined for the 2026 season, Stokes started every game and defended Angel Reese.
Williams earned Finals MVP honors after her Game 7 performance. She averaged 14.4 points per game in 2026 — her career high — and shot 34.2% from three-point range. She finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting and made the WNBA All-Defensive First Team.
Nakase opened 2026 training camp with three days dedicated solely to defense — no shooting or offensive drills. Golden State held opponents to 75.1 points per game in the regular season, the league’s lowest mark. In the playoffs, the Valkyries ranked second in defensive efficiency. Stokes recorded 31 blocks in the 2026 postseason, tied with Lisa Leslie for the most in WNBA history.
After trailing the Dream 2–1 in the Finals, Nakase adjusted the starting lineup for Game 4. She inserted Hayes and forward Kaila Charles in place of Thornton and Zandalasini. Charles posted a plus–14 rating; Hayes scored 13 points. Golden State won Games 4 and 5.
In a win-or-go-home Game 3 against the Dallas Wings in the first round, Thornton gathered Burton, Williams and Charles beneath their hoop for a shared breath. Burton said the group needed “to be together and just be present.”
Nyanin watched from the tunnel and said the moment confirmed her belief in the culture she and Nakase built: “They will fight with each other and for each other.”
Nakase told reporters she pledged to Lacob not to let the team fail — and later promised Nyanin they wouldn’t let each other fail. The Valkyries won their first title two years after launch.
Photo: John Mac / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
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