In a historic finish to their second season of existence, the Golden State Valkyries secured their first Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) championship. The West Coast franchise overcame the Atlanta Dream 68-63 on Saturday at the Chase Center in San Francisco, winning the league’s first-ever game seven in a championship final.
Gabby Williams delivered a dominant performance, earning Finals Most Valuable Player honors. After a quiet two-point first half, Williams erupted to score 28 points in the second half—marking the most points scored in a single half in WNBA postseason history. She finished with a game-high 30 points, while also setting WNBA Finals records with 137 total points and 18 steals throughout the series. “Honestly, everyone here, not just the players and the staff. [Also] the community, the city, the [San Francisco] Bay [Area],” she gushed on court shortly after having been named the MVP. Williams, after spearheading an earlier rally, came alive again. Topped only by the 36 she had in game two of Golden State’s first-round series win over the Dallas Wings on September 30, williams’s 30 points were her second-most in a playoff game.
The atmosphere at the Chase Center was electric, with a capacity crowd of 18,064 cheering on the team. During the trophy ceremony, owner Joe Lacob rallied the home fans by shouting “Ballhalla,” a nickname for the venue that resonated throughout the night. Notable figures in attendance included NBA champion Draymond Green and former San Francisco Giants star Barry Bonds.
The match was largely a defensive battle defined by key plays in the final minutes. With the score tied at 53-all following a jumper by Atlanta’s Allisha Gray with 5:14 remaining, Williams took control. She hit two free throws and a driving layup before sinking a critical 31-footer that gave the Valkyries a 60-57 lead with 2:18 left on the clock. Playing 38 of the game’s 40 minutes, Williams saved enough energy to do a Stephen Curry impersonation on a go-ahead three-pointer with two minutes and 18 seconds (2:18) to go and later win a key jump ball, and Kiah Stokes converted a rare Williams late miss into a key hoop with 53 seconds left, sending the violet-clad crowd into a frenzy. The Valkyries were tied at 53-all midway through the fourth after Gray connected on a short jumper for Atlanta with 5:14 to play, rallying from a nine-point deficit in the third quarter. She hit two free throws with 3:34 to go and a driving hoop 32 seconds later as the teams exchanged baskets.
The decisive sequence occurred late in the game when Kiah Stokes converted a missed shot by Williams into a layup with 53 seconds remaining, extending the lead to 64-57.
Williams also secured a vital jump ball against Gray with just 8.3 seconds left to help protect the advantage. In what was mostly a defensive struggle, Williams made the difference in the end, including winning a jump ball over Allisha Gray with 8.3 seconds to go.
Veronica Burton, who contributed 10 points and 10 rebounds, added the final points at the charity stripe after being fouled with 5.1 seconds remaining. “We didn’t let anyone put a limit on us all year,” demanded Burton, who backed Williams with 10 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. “When you work hard, and you put your head down and drive, anything’s possible.”. She made 10 of her 23 field-goal attempts on Saturday when neither team shot well.
Coach Natalie Nakase praised her roster, which was assembled through an expansion draft and key free-agent signings. She dedicated the victory to those who feel underrated, emphasizing that the team’s success came from collective heart and soul. Tiffany Hayes also provided a significant boost for the champions, contributing 11 points.
For the Atlanta Dream, Jordin Canada led with 18 points, while Gray added 16.
The team struggled with shooting efficiency, hitting just 33.3 percent of their field goals and going 6-for-30 from three-point range. Coach Karl Smesko highlighted the team’s difficult start, noting that Atlanta went scoreless for the first 5:19 of the game, missing eight consecutive shots and committing four turnovers. Which shot just 33.3 percent overall (23 of 69) and went 6-for-30 from beyond the arc, jordin Canada had 18 points and Gray 16 for Atlanta. Including a game-opening 5:19 in which Atlanta went scoreless, falling behind 8-0 while missing eight straight shots — four three-pointers and four shots from inside the arc that were all blocked — and tossing in four turnovers, dream coach Karl Smesko lamented what he called “a lot of little stretches” of subpar play.
“It’s beyond frustrating that we didn’t accomplish what we set out to accomplish,” Smesko told reporters postgame. “Those first five minutes… you can’t get those five minutes back.” Despite the loss, Angel Reese, who led the Dream with 12 rebounds, expressed gratitude for the season and confidence in the team’s future resilience. “I’m just grateful I got to go to war with this group,” Reese, who led Atlanta with 12 rebounds, assured the media afterwards. “It’s tough in the moment, but we’ll be back.”.
Stokes, who finished with 13 rebounds and two blocks in the final, set a WNBA Finals record with 19 total blocks for the series. Williams, reflecting on her MVP performance, credited the local community and the team’s culture for the energy that carried them through a demanding season. The Valkyries continue to hold the distinction of selling out every home game in their short history. “When the energy is this good and positive, it’s easy to come to work every day. Besides holding Dream star Angel Reese to eight points, Stokes had a game-high 13 rebounds for the Valkyries, who won despite making just five of their 20 three-point shots.
