Nov 1, 2026 · pixiplume.com
Champions in year two: the Valkyries win it all
The first Game 7 in WNBA Finals history lived up to the hype. The Golden State Valkyries came back from a halftime deficit to beat the Atlanta Dream 68-63 at Chase Center and win the championship.
It’s only the franchise’s second season. No expansion team in American pro sports has ever won a title faster.
How Game 7 was won
Golden State jumped out 8-0 as Atlanta missed its first 10 shots. Then the Dream punched back. Jordin Canada scored 13 first-half points, and Atlanta led by six at halftime. The team leading at the half had won all six earlier games in the series, so things looked grim for the home crowd.
Gabby Williams changed that. She had just two points at the break, then scored 15 in the third quarter alone to put Golden State back in front, 45-44.
The finish was pure drama. With about two minutes left, Williams buried a 31-foot three to make it 60-57. Allisha Gray kept Atlanta alive with a late three and two free throws to cut it to 66-63. Then Veronica Burton won a jump ball with 8.3 seconds left and hit two free throws to seal the title.
Gabby Williams, Finals MVP
Williams finished with 30 points, four blocks and two steals and was named Finals MVP. Her 28 second-half points set a WNBA Finals record, and she also broke the record for most total points in a Finals series.
| Player | Team | Pts | Reb | Ast |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gabby Williams | GSV | 30 | 3 | 2 |
| Jordin Canada | ATL | 18 | 4 | 5 |
| Allisha Gray | ATL | 16 | 6 | 2 |
| Tiffany Hayes | GSV | 11 | 0 | 1 |
| Veronica Burton | GSV | 10 | 10 | 5 |
| Kiah Stokes | GSV | 8 | 13 | 1 |
| Angel Reese | ATL | 8 | 12 | 1 |
What this title means
This was a team nobody expected to be here this fast. Coach Natalie Nakase built a group around defense and toughness, and it paid off in the biggest game in league history.
“We didn’t let anyone put a limit on us all year,” Burton said.
Some veterans finally got their moment too. Tiffany Hayes won her first ring after 14 WNBA seasons. Kiah Stokes set a league record with 19 blocks in the series and won her fourth title.
For Atlanta, it’s heartbreak. The Dream forced the first Game 7 in Finals history and came within a few possessions of their first championship.
Your call
A second-year team just won it all. So tell me in the comments: are the Valkyries the WNBA’s next dynasty, or will Atlanta be back to get revenge next year?