The Golden State Valkyries won the 2026 WNBA Finals with a 68 to 63 victory over the Atlanta Dream at Chase Center on October 31. The win settled the series four games to three and gave Golden State its first championship in just its second season.
Gabby Williams led the way with 30 points and earned Finals MVP honors. For Atlanta, a series that included two convincing wins ended five points short of a title. For Golden State, the deciding game brought a championship home to San Francisco.
Gabby Williams leads Golden State in Game 7
Williams delivered the biggest scoring performance of the night when the Valkyries needed it most. Her 30 points accounted for nearly half of Golden State’s total, making her the central figure in a game where neither team reached 70.
With 2:41 remaining, Rhyne Howard tied the score at 57 before Williams answered with a three pointer.She also contributed four blocks and made four shots from beyond the arc. Those numbers capture how much responsibility she carried on both ends of the court.
Golden State received valuable help from Kiah Stokes, who finished with eight points, 13 rebounds and two blocks. Veronica Burton added 10 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, giving the Valkyries another strong presence on the boards.
Together, those contributions helped Golden State survive a close finish. Williams supplied the scoring, while Stokes and Burton gave the team rebounds and defensive support around her. The championship belonged to the whole roster, even as Williams took home the individual award.
How the Valkyries won the seven game series
Golden State opened the Finals with a 68 to 64 victory on October 17. Atlanta responded with consecutive wins, taking Game 2 by 79 to 65 before delivering a 97 to 71 victory in Game 3.
That left the Valkyries trailing two games to one and facing a difficult stretch. They answered with a 67 to 62 win in Game 4, then returned home to take Game 5 by 64 to 55.
Atlanta kept the series alive with an 80 to 69 victory in Game 6 on October 29. Neither team had managed to win three straight, and the championship would require one final meeting.
The deciding result followed a clear pattern in Golden State’s victories. Every Valkyries win came with Atlanta scoring 64 points or fewer. Across their four wins, Golden State allowed 64, 62, 55 and 63 points, making defense a consistent part of their success.
A first championship in only two seasons
The title arrived remarkably early in the Valkyries’ history. Golden State began play in 2025 and finished its second season as WNBA champion under coach Natalie Nakase.
The series also produced the first Game 7 in WNBA Finals history. The distinction matters because the best of seven format was introduced in 2025, a year before this matchup went the full distance.
For Angel Reese and the Dream, the loss closed a Finals run that had brought Atlanta within one victory of the championship. Winning Game 6 earned them another opportunity, but Golden State finished the job at home.
Golden State now has a championship season to build on. For Williams, the Finals ended with both a team trophy and recognition as the series’ most valuable player.