Valkyries defeat Dream 68-63 to win second season title

The Golden State Valkyries defeated the Atlanta Dream 68-63 on Saturday in Game 7 of the WNBA Finals to claim their first championship.

The team secured the title in its second season of play. In October 2024, head coach Natalie Nakase interviewed for the position with owner Joe Lacob. During that meeting, Lacob told Nakase the franchise intended to win a championship within five years. Nakase later stated she wanted to work for Lacob specifically to win that first title for him.

General manager Ohemaa Nyanin and Nakase built the roster to be defensive-minded and low on ego. They selected Veronica Burton and Kayla Thornton in the 2024 expansion draft. The team also added Tiffany Hayes and Juste Jocyte. In the 2025 season, the Valkyries became the first expansion team in league history to reach the playoffs. They lost to the Minnesota Lynx in the first round.

The front office prioritized acquiring Gabby Williams, who had previously been coreed by the Seattle Storm. Lacob told Williams he wanted to build dynasties in Golden State. One day after signing Williams, the team signed Kiah Stokes. Stokes had played for Las Vegas for four seasons and won three titles there. She replaced Iiana Rupert, who missed the 2026 season due to pregnancy.

Nakase dedicated the first three days of training camp to defense. The Valkyries finished the regular season with the league's top defense, holding opponents to 75.1 points per game. Stokes recorded 31 blocks during the playoffs, tying Lisa Leslie for the most in WNBA history. Williams finished as the league leader in scoring among finalists with a career-best 14.4 points per game. She also won Finals MVP and received All-Defensive First Team honors.

After trailing the Dream 2-1 in the series, Nakase changed the starting lineup for Game 4. She started Tiffany Hayes and Kaila Charles. The adjustment helped the team win the next two games. Williams noted that the group wanted to play as long as possible because they knew the roster might not stay together. Nakase said the team's lack of ego allowed for flexible lineups without conflict.

The victory ended a series that began with the Valkyries trailing. Lacob had originally projected a five-year timeline for the title. The team achieved the goal in two years. Nakase said she would not let the team fail, and the players said they trusted her coaching approach despite its intensity.