The Valkyries Conquered the WNBA, but Can They Build an Empire?

     On Halloween night at Chase Center, the Golden State Valkyries were six points behind at halftime, Gabby Williams had two points, and the Atlanta Dream were 20 minutes from the WNBA title. By the final buzzer, Williams had 30 points, confetti covered the court, and Golden State owned a 68-63 victory in the WNBA's first Finals Game 7. The Bay Area's newest basketball team had won in its second season, the fastest expansion champion in major North American professional sports since 1967.

The foundation was suffocating defense and a roster built to fit. After going 23-21 and reaching the playoffs in their 2025 debut, the Valkyries improved to 32-12, earning the league's No. 2 postseason seed. Coach Natalie Nakase's group allowed only 75.1 points per game, the WNBA's best mark, while scoring 82.2 themselves. Their offense wasn't overpowering, but opponents rarely had an easy possession. Golden State went 21-0 against seven opponents it swept in regular-season meetings, including Atlanta, Dallas and New York.

General manager Ohemaa Nyanin's biggest offseason bet changed the ceiling. Signed from Seattle, Williams led Golden State with 14.4 points per game and averaged 1.6 steals, becoming the franchise's first All-Star starter. Veronica Burton, the 2025 Most Improved Player, supplied 12.2 points and 5.7 assists per game while directing the offense. Janelle Salaün averaged 12.7 points, sank a franchise-record 93 three-pointers and was unanimously chosen Sixth Player of the Year. Kiah Stokes brought the muscle behind the guards, collecting a team-high 248 rebounds and blocking 74 shots. Williams earned All-Defensive First Team honors; Burton and Stokes made the Second Team.

Nakase finished second in Coach of the Year voting. The regular-season finale previewed their October nerve. Down 12 points to the Los Angeles Sparks with less than four minutes remaining on September 24, Golden State launched a 17-1 run to escape 76-75. Kaitlyn Chen scored all 18 of her points after halftime, including 14 in the fourth quarter. The comeback secured the second seed.

Dallas immediately tested that advantage. Golden State demolished the Wings 104-80 in the opener, lost an overtime shootout 108-100 on the road, then survived Game 3 by a 77-73 margin. Next came defending champion Las Vegas. The Valkyries swept the Aces, winning 71-60, 83-81 and 87-77. In the clincher in Las Vegas, they erased a 13-point deficit with a 17-0 third-quarter run before dominating overtime 16-6. Kayla Thornton contributed 18 points, and Stokes added 11. Nakase, formerly an assistant on two Aces championship teams, had eliminated her old employer.

Atlanta made the Finals far messier. Golden State edged Game 1, 68-64, then lost Games 2 and 3 by 14 and 26 points. Nakase adjusted her starting five, promoting Tiffany Hayes and Kaila Charles while shifting Thornton and Cecilia Zandalasini to the bench. Wins of 67-62 and 64-55 restored control, but an 80-69 defeat in Atlanta forced a decisive seventh game.

The final game demanded another rescue. The Dream led 30-24 at halftime before Williams erupted for 28 second-half points, the most in any half of a WNBA playoff game. With the score tied at 57 late in the fourth quarter, she sank the three-pointer that put Golden State ahead for good. Burton's final free throws ended the suspense. Williams had four blocks and two steals; Burton added 10 points and 10 rebounds, while Stokes collected 13 boards. Across seven Finals games, Stokes blocked a record 19 shots, and Williams averaged 19.6 points to claim Finals MVP.

One banner doesn't make a dynasty. Still, the Valkyries already have the hard part: a defensive identity, a coach who adapts, and stars willing to share the work. Fans have sold out all 53 home games through Game 7. Thousands celebrated along San Francisco's Embarcadero on November 4, a parade owner Joe Lacob had hoped to achieve within five years. His team needed only two.

Now comes roster math. Williams, Burton and Stokes are under contract, but Thornton, Hayes, Zandalasini, Chen and Laeticia Amihere face varying forms of free agency. Seven players have deals for 2027, leaving Nyanin approximately $3.64 million in projected cap room to weigh continuity against upgrades. Salaün, still under contract, didn't play in the final three Finals games, making her future role a genuine question. Young guard Justė Jocytė needs a clearer path to minutes, while Iliana Rupert's potential return raises frontcourt questions. With the WNBA expanding to 50 regular-season games next year, Golden State needs reliable scoring beyond Williams and enough depth to protect its defense over a longer haul. A dynasty isn't something the Valkyries can declare. But after two years, they've already earned the right to chase one.