WNBA: Valkyries Beat Dream in Game 7 to Claim Title
The expansion franchise defeated Atlanta 68-63, beating the five-year timeline set by owner Joe Lacob by three years.
By Connor Murphy ·
The WNBA’s most recent expansion team has a short history. That history ended on Saturday with a championship.
The Golden State Valkyries defeated the Atlanta Dream 68-63 in Game 7 of the WNBA Finals. The win secured the franchise’s first title just two years after the team’s creation.
Owner Joe Lacob told head coach Natalie Nakase in October 2024 that the team’s goal was to win a championship within five years. Nakase agreed immediately, slamming her hands on the table during their job interview. The team arrived at that milestone three years ahead of schedule.
General Manager Ohemaa Nyanin and Nakase built the roster around defense and low ego. They selected players like Veronica Burton and Kayla Thornton in the 2024 expansion draft. The team added Gabby Williams and Kiah Stokes in the 2025 offseason. Williams won Finals MVP after averaging 14.4 points per game and shooting 34.2 percent from three-point range during the season.
Nakase emphasized defensive intensity from the start of training camp. She held her players back from shooting for the first three days. The approach helped Golden State rank first in the league in points per game allowed during the regular season. The team held opponents to a league-low 75.1 points per game. Stokes recorded 31 blocks in the postseason, tying a WNBA single-season record.
The coaching staff adjusted after falling behind 2-1 in the Finals. Nakase changed her starting lineup before Game 4. She moved Tiffany Hayes and Kaila Charles into the starting spots. The change shifted momentum in the series. The Valkyries won the next two games to take the title.
Lacob’s original timeline was aggressive by league standards. The team had no prior history of success. External observers doubted the project. Nakase and Nyanin focused on building a specific culture. They prioritized players willing to sacrifice individual goals for the group. The result was a team that reached the conference finals in its first year and won the league in its second.
