The Golden State Valkyries captured the Women's NBA championship in just their second season, defeating the Atlanta Dream 68-63 in the first Game Seven in WNBA Finals history.
Williams Stars with 30 Points
Gabby Williams led the Valkyries with 30 points, 28 of which came in the second half, and was named the WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player. A crucial three-pointer with just over two minutes remaining put Golden State ahead 60-57, and free throws by Tiffany Hayes and Veronica Burton sealed the win.
"It's easy when the energy is this good and positive," Williams said. "I wouldn't change a thing. All it took was good people. We have winners, we have people who are ready to put their bodies on the floor to win a game. They don't care about scoring. They just want to do defence and rebounding. Do whatever it takes and we built a beautiful culture here."
Coach Natalie Nakase praised her star: "Gabby is our closer. Closing with 30, I mean, that's incredible. And to me, the MVP is the Finals MVP. That means you've got to play through the playoffs. You've got to grind. You've got to go through a seven-game series. She's the most valuable player in the world, hands down."
The Valkyries, formed in 2024, celebrated in front of a sell-out crowd of more than 18,000 at San Francisco's Chase Center. It marked the fourth Finals loss in the Dream's 18-year history.
Dream star Angel Reese remained optimistic despite the defeat: "This is the most fun I've had with a group. It's the most competitive team I've been part of. And just because we didn't win today doesn't mean that we won't be champions in the future."
