The Golden State Valkyries are WNBA champions in only their second season, after a remarkable second-half comeback sealed a 68-63 Game 7 victory over the Atlanta Dream at Chase Center in San Francisco on Saturday night.
Atlanta looked in control for much of the evening. The Dream survived a scoreless start, missing their first ten shots, to lead by six points at half-time, 30-24, with Jordin Canada leading all scorers with 13 points. Golden State, who had opened with an 8-0 run, went more than seven minutes without a field goal in the second quarter and managed only 24 points in the first half.
The game turned after the break. Atlanta stretched its advantage to nine points midway through the third quarter, before the Valkyries closed the period with a 17-3 run to take a one-point lead into the final quarter. Gabby Williams, who had scored just two points in the first half, caught fire with three three-pointers in the third and finished with 30 points, 28 of them after half-time — a record for points in a half of a WNBA Finals game.
Williams added a 31-foot three-pointer with just over two minutes remaining to put Golden State three points clear, and the Valkyries held on from there despite a late Atlanta rally that cut the lead to three with eight seconds left. Williams was named Finals MVP after also recording three rebounds, two assists, two steals and four blocks.
Support came from across the roster. Tiffany Hayes scored 11 points despite being hobbled in the third quarter, Veronica Burton added 10 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, and Kiah Stokes contributed eight points and 13 rebounds. For Atlanta, Canada finished with 18 points and Allisha Gray with 16, while Angel Reese added eight points and 12 rebounds. The Dream, in the Finals for the fourth time, are still waiting for a first championship.
The title caps an extraordinary rise. Golden State were awarded the franchise in 2023 and made their debut in 2025, becoming the first expansion team to reach the playoffs in its first season. They are now the fastest expansion team in the major North American leagues — the NBA, WNBA, NHL, MLB and NFL — to win a championship, beating the Milwaukee Bucks’ previous mark of three seasons. They are also the first team in the league’s 30-year history to win a title without an All-WNBA player on the roster.
Coach Natalie Nakase, in her second season, praised the culture of the young squad, while owner Joe Lacob — who also owns the Golden State Warriors — had promised fans three years ago that the team would win a title within its first five years. That promise has now been kept with three years to spare.
Sources: CNN, “Golden State Valkyries make history with first WNBA title in the team’s second year of existence”, 31 October 2026, https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/31/sport/valkyries-dream-wnba-finals-game-7?cid=external-feeds_iluminar_meta ; USA Today, “Golden State Valkyries hold off Atlanta Dream for WNBA championship in second season”, 31 October 2026, https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/wnba/2026/10/31/wnba-finals-game-7-golden-state-valkyries-atlanta-dream-channel-score-highlights-results–live/92504780007/ ; Associated Press via ESPN, “Golden State Valkyries win Game 7, secure first WNBA title”, 1 November 2026, https://www.espn.ph/wnba/story/_/id/50343701/golden-state-valkyries-win-game-7-secure-first-wnba-title
