The Golden State Valkyries claimed the WNBA title on Halloween night, defeating the Atlanta Dream 68-63 in a first-ever Finals Game 7 at the Chase Center in San Francisco.
Led by a strong second-half masterclass from Finals MVP Gabby Williams, the Valkyries overcame an early offensive drought. They secured the fastest title run by an expansion franchise in professional sports since 1967, according to the WNBA. A sold-out, violet-clad crowd of 18,064 fans erupted in celebration as confetti rained down from the rafters in ‘Ballhalla,’ a unique nickname for the Valkyries’ venue.
Williams poured in 30 points — with 28 coming after intermission — alongside three rebounds, two assists, four blocks, and two steals in 38 minutes of play. After enduring a less-than-stellar first half in which the Valkyries struggled to find an offensive rhythm, Williams trusted the adjustments outlined by head coach Natalie Nakase at halftime and took over the game.
“Nat told me to stay patient, I trust her with my life,” Williams said after hoisting the championship trophy. “I stayed patient. We just built a beautiful culture here. Y’all have been pouring into me. We got good people. We got winners. We got people who are ready to put their bodies on the floor to win a game.”
The championship battle was fiercely contested from opening tip to final buzzer. Atlanta entered the contest determined to spoil the celebration. The Dream controlled the tempo early, building an eight-point lead in the first half behind sharp play from Jordin Canada and Allisha Gray. The Dream carried a 30-24 advantage into the locker room, holding Golden State to 30 percent shooting over the first two frames.
However, the momentum completely shifted in the third quarter as Williams ignited an offensive surge. Williams scored 15 points in the third period, energizing the home crowd and helping the Valkyries outscore Atlanta 21-14 in the period to take a narrow 45-44 lead heading into the final ten minutes.
The fourth quarter turned into a grueling, physical chess match. Both teams traded blows as the lead swung back and forth through defensive stops. Atlanta fought valiantly behind Canada, who finished with a team-high 18 points and five assists, and Gray, who added 16 points and six rebounds. Angel Reese anchored the paint for the Dream with 12 rebounds and eight points. At the same time, Naz Hillmon and Isobel Borlase provided valuable sparks off the bench with eight points each.
Yet, every time the Dream threatened to pull away, the Valkyries found timely answers. Valkyries’ Veronica Burton delivered a steadying 10 points and 10 rebounds while playing nearly 39 minutes, anchoring the backcourt alongside Tiffany Hayes, who chipped in 11 points.
Veteran center and now four-time WNBA champion Kiah Stokes provided defensive muscle inside, hauling down 13 rebounds and converting a crucial putback layup with 53.8 seconds remaining, extending Golden State’s lead to 64-57.
The closing minute proved to be a nerve-wracking test of endurance. Atlanta refused to fold, keeping their championship hopes alive through tenacious offensive rebounding from Rhyne Howard and Canada, culminating in a clutch three-pointer by Gray with 34.2 seconds left that sliced the deficit to 60-64. Following tactical free throws from Hayes, Atlanta’s Gray sank two more from the charity stripe with 10.5 seconds remaining to make it a one-possession game at 66-63.
With the championship hanging in the balance, Williams won a decisive jump ball against Gray with eight seconds left, tipping possession directly to Burton. Hillmon was forced to foul Burton, and the veteran guard calmly sank two free throws with 5.1 seconds left to seal the 68-63 victory and ignite jubilant celebrations on the court.
For the Atlanta Dream, walking off the floor without the trophy may have been a bitter pill to swallow. Despite this, the franchise expressed immense pride in their resilience throughout a grueling postseason run. Star forward Angel Reese offered a determined outlook on the team’s future as they reflected on the hard-fought series.
“Just because we didn’t win today doesn’t mean that we won’t be champions in the future,” Reese said following the defeat.
The historic victory marks a monumental milestone for the WNBA, which transitioned its finals series to a seven-game format in 2025, culminating in its very first Game 7 championship showdown. In only two seasons, the Valkyries have transformed from an expansion franchise into league champions, capturing the imagination of basketball fans nationwide during a banner year that saw the league set new attendance records.
Nakase, whose team is full of players who have been waived, traded, overlooked in their careers and were almost ‘out of the league,’ summed it up perfectly:
“This is for all the people that went underrated, misunderstood; this is for all of y’all,” Nakase said after the win. “This is proof that if you put in all of your heart and all of your soul, you [expletive] win championships.”
Contact staff writer Noral Parham at 317-762-7846. Follow him on X @3Noral. For more WNBA Finals coverage, visit indianapolisrecorder.com.
Noral Parham is the multimedia and senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Before joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate at the MLK Center in Indianapolis and as a senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver. He is also a business owner.
