Teammate Kiah Stokes led the rebounds with 13.
“It’s just incredible,” she said of her fourth championship title. “But my teammates are incredible. The love we feel is just incredible. I mean, this one might be as good as the first one.”
Guard Veronica Burton, who played a key role in the Valkyrie offense, was asked what she would say to her younger self who, just a few years ago, was working out at home at a YMCA while waiting for an opportunity to play in the WNBA.
“I would tell him it’s all worth it. Like it’s never over. Don’t let anyone put limits on you,” she said. “We didn’t let anyone put limits on us all year. And when you work, and when you put your head down and you work, like anything is possible.”
Golden State’s rapid rise to the top of the sport, coupled with the team’s rabid fan base, has already made the Valkyries one of the WNBA’s iconic franchises.
In the team’s inaugural season, Golden State finished 23–21 and lost in the first round of the playoffs, the only time an expansion team reached the playoffs in its first year in league history.
Ahead of the 2026 season, the Valkyries rebuilt their frontcourt, signing Williams after making his first All-Star team, and also adding Stokes, previously of the Las Vegas Aces, via free agency.
Williams became the team’s leading scorer, while Stokes added a rebounding presence in the middle. The action was led by fifth-year guard Burton, who led the team in assists during the regular season.
The rebuilt roster allowed Nakase – a two-time champion as the reigning player and coach of the year – to push the right buttons in the finals. After Golden State won Game 1, Atlanta came roaring back with double-digit blowout wins to take a 2-1 lead.
Nakase shortened his rotation after Game 3, while swapping several players in his starting lineup. With more reliance on their big three of Williams, Stokes and Burton, the Valkyries responded with back-to-back wins to regain the series lead at 3-2.
Atlanta avoided elimination Thursday in Game 6 in Atlanta in a game that began at 12:30 p.m. ET due to scheduling difficulties around previous events taking place at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena, a much larger venue than the Dream’s typical arena, which seats fewer than 4,000 people.
Golden State’s championship run coincided with a business boom for the franchise, which has the same primary ownership group as the NBA’s Golden State Warriors.
In May, CNBC valued Golden State at $1 billion, making the Valkyries the first WNBA team to reach that threshold. Meanwhile, during the regular season, Golden State led the WNBA in average and total attendance.
Playing at Chase Center – which Valkyries fans nicknamed “Ballhalla” – Golden State sold out every home game in its two seasons of existence.
Now, with a WNBA championship trophy in tow, the excitement around the Valkyries should only grow as the team looks to turn around in 2027.
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