Valkyries win title in record time
The Golden State expansion team defeated Atlanta 68-63 in Game 7, beating the owner's five-year goal by three years.
By Sakura McCarthy ·
Golden State fans received a championship sooner than the team's leadership predicted. On Saturday, the Valkyries defeated the Atlanta Dream 68-63 in Game 7 of the WNBA Finals. This victory marked the franchise's first title, achieved two years after the team began play.
In October 2024, owner Joe Lacob told head coach Natalie Nakase during her interview that the team aimed to win a championship within five years. Nakase accepted the goal immediately. She and general manager Ohemaa Nyanin focused on building a defensive culture with players willing to sacrifice individual status for the group.
The roster construction began with the 2024 expansion draft. The Valkyries selected Veronica Burton and Kayla Thornton. They also signed Tiffany Hayes in free agency and picked Juste Jocyte with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2025 draft. External observers questioned these choices because the team lacked a traditional star player.
The squad made history in the 2025 postseason by becoming the first expansion franchise to reach the playoffs in its inaugural season. They lost to the Minnesota Lynx in the first round. That experience helped the team attract veteran players for the 2026 campaign.
Gabby Williams became a free agent after the Seattle Storm exercised their contract option rights. Lacob, Nakase, and Nyanin personally recruited her. The team also signed Kiah Stokes, a former Las Vegas Aces player, who started every game in the 2026 season while defending against Angel Reese.
Nakase emphasized defense during the first three days of training camp, banning offensive practice. This approach resulted in a league-low 75.1 points per game allowed during the regular season. In the playoffs, Stokes recorded 31 blocks, tying the all-time record held by Lisa Leslie.
Williams led the team with a career-best 14.4 points per game and won Finals MVP. Her performance included a second-place finish in Defensive Player of the Year voting. The team turned the series after trailing 2-1, with Nakase adjusting her starting lineup to insert Tiffany Hayes and Kaila Charles.
Source: ESPN
