‘Blow the Whistle’: WNBA Finals Review

On Oct. 31, the Golden State Valkyries bested the Atlanta Dream in Game Seven of the WNBA Finals — the first Game Seven in WNBA Finals history — with a score of 68-63, taking home the trophy in only the team’s second-ever season. From the final game to the Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP), there’s much to discuss.

The Valkyries started out strong in Game Seven, taking an 8-0 lead over the Dream and forcing Atlanta to take a timeout. The team’s timeout proved useful, though, as the Dream rallied to narrow the score to 14-11 in the Valkyries’ favor by the end of the first quarter. At the start of the second quarter, Atlanta was hot and kept surging, scoring nine consecutive points to take a 20-14 lead. While Golden State was able to respond, they were still down five points going into halftime with the score set at 29-24. 

Golden State forward Gabby Williams, who averaged 17.8 points going into the game, only had two points at the break. Williams had to step up to keep the Valkyries in the game and did, exploding for a 15-point third quarter and outscoring the Dream, who managed only 14 points. Williams’ individual effort gave Golden State a one-point lead going into the fourth quarter, edging Atlanta 45-44. The game remained close until the last two minutes, when Williams hit a 3-pointer, the Valkyries forced a missed layup, and Williams was fouled and subsequently made two free throws — a five-point lead in an instant. Golden State Center Kiah Stokes rebounded a miss and hit her put-back in the last minute, extending the team’s lead to seven. Despite a 3-pointer by Atlanta guard Allisha Gray, the last minute of the game devolved into both sides making trips to the free-throw line, with the Valkyries ending up on top. Golden State beat Atlanta 68-63, winning the WNBA championship on their home court.  

Williams scored 30 points in the game, 28 of which came in the second half — a postseason record. Williams’ 30 points are also the highest amount that any player has scored in a WNBA Finals winner-take-all game. Williams scored 137 total points across the seven-game series, which is a WNBA record for total points, although the record for highest points per game in the Finals still belongs to forward Angel McCoughtry, who averaged 31 points in the 2011 WNBA Finals. The Golden State star averaged 19.6 points and 2.6 steals in the Finals, which, paired with her record-breaking performances, was certainly enough to anoint Williams as the Finals MVP. The two-time All-Star and two-time All-Defensive player now adds WNBA Champion and Finals MVP to her accolades. 

Overall, Golden State’s win signals greater success for the WNBA as a whole. Last season, the Valkyries were the first expansion team to reach the playoffs in their inaugural season. Golden State lost in the first round, but it set a high precedent for the team this season. The fans have elevated expectations and investments in the team, too, since they have sold out the team’s home arena, the Chase Center, otherwise known as “Ballhalla,” for every single home game in the team’s existence. Before even winning a championship, the Valkyries were the first WNBA team to be valued at approximately $1 billion in May. Golden State also exceeded $100 million in annual revenue — the first women’s sports team, let alone WNBA team, to ever do so. 

The Valkyries are pioneers not only for the success they have found on the court, but also for the economic milestones they achieved as a result. The 2026 WNBA Champions have shown the league’s vast potential for basketball lovers and team investors, and how quickly Golden State has found success heightens excitement for what the league already has to offer.