The Golden State Valkyries are WNBA champions in just their second season. The expansion side beat the Atlanta Dream 68-63 in Game 7 of the WNBA Finals on Saturday night, 31 October 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco, in the first Game 7 in WNBA Finals history.
Gabby Williams was the star of the night and was named Finals MVP. After scoring only two points in the first half, with her team trailing by six at the break, Williams scored 28 of her 30 points in the second half, including 15 in the third quarter to put Golden State 45-44 ahead going into the final period. With the game tied at 53, she scored nine straight points for the Valkyries, including a deep three-pointer that made it 60-57 with 2:18 left, a lead her team did not give up.
“I just walked into a group full of love,” Williams said afterwards. “And that just changed the entire trajectory of my career.”
Head coach Natalie Nakase praised her closer, saying: “Gabby is our closer, she stayed patient, she stayed with it. Closing with 30, that is incredible!”
For Atlanta, Jordin Canada scored 18 points and Allisha Gray 16, while Angel Reese had eight points and 12 rebounds. The Dream were denied a championship at their fourth attempt.
When the final buzzer sounded, the sell-out crowd at the Chase Center celebrated as confetti fell and the second-year Valkyries lifted the trophy.
Source: Sky Sports — https://www.skysports.com/nba/news/13606564/wnba-championship-gabby-williams-leads-golden-state-valkyries-to-first-title-in-second-season-beating-atlanta-dream-68-63-in-game-7
Note: the featured image is an illustrative stock photo of basketballs on an indoor court, not a photo of the actual game.
