Golden State Valkyries Win WNBA Title in Two Years — SkimNews
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- Golden State Valkyries beat the Atlanta Dream 68-63 in Game 7 of the WNBA Finals on Saturday, winning the franchise’s first championship nearly two years after Natalie Nakase was hired.
- Joe Lacob set a five-year championship target during Nakase’s October 2024 job interview, then joined Nakase and general manager Ohemaa Nyanin in recruiting Gabby Williams with the pitch: “I want to build dynasties here.”
- Ohemaa Nyanin and Nakase handpicked the roster through the 2024 expansion draft, free agency and the 2025 draft, bringing in Veronica Burton, Kayla Thornton, Tiffany Hayes and No. 5 pick Juste Jocyte; Golden State became the first expansion franchise in WNBA history to make the playoffs in its first season.
- Gabby Williams was recruited after Seattle held exclusive negotiating rights in 2025 and Williams later became a free agent; she averaged a career-best 14.4 points, shot 34.2% from three, earned All-Defensive first-team honors, finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting and won Finals MVP with 30 points in Game 7.
- Kiah Stokes arrived one day after Williams and started every game after Iliana Rupert said she would miss the 2026 season because of pregnancy; Stokes’ 31 postseason blocks tied Lisa Leslie for the most in WNBA history.
- Natalie Nakase made Golden State spend the first three days of training camp on defense with no shooting or running plays; the Valkyries finished the regular season ranked first in defense while allowing a league-low 75.1 points per game.
- Tiffany Hayes joined Kaila Charles in the starting lineup after a 2-1 Finals deficit, replacing Kayla Thornton and Cecilia Zandalasini respectively; Charles posted a plus-14 and Hayes scored 13 points in Game 4 as Golden State won the next two games.
Why it matters: Golden State gains a championship franchise without an All-WNBA selection, powered by a defense that held opponents to a league-low 75.1 points per game and a Finals MVP in Gabby Williams. Atlanta loses the 68-63 Game 7 finale; Golden State’s player-centered approach immediately delivers the five-year title target Joe Lacob publicly set.
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