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By Madison Williams
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The Golden State Valkyries are the 2026 WNBA champions after beating the Atlanta Dream 68-63 in Game 7 on Saturday night. It's the Valkyries' first franchise title in just their second season as a team.
There were plenty of superstars throughout the WNBA Finals, but one Golden State player shined on Saturday night: Gabby Williams. The forward scored a whopping 30 points, almost half of the Valkyries' total. She made four three-pointers to get to that total. Additionally, Williams had four blocks, three rebounds, two assists and two steals in the win.
Her 30 points weren't even the most Williams has scored in a single game during this postseason. During a first-round overtime loss to the Dallas Wings, Williams posted 36 points. Across all playoff games, Williams led the Valkyries by averaging 21 points per contest.
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She made WNBA Finals history by surpassing A'ja Wilson for the most points in a Finals with 137 total points, while also surpassing Napheesa Collier for the most steals in a Finals with 18.
Williams had a message for the doubters after the win.
“All we heard last year, ‘We don’t have no stars, we don’t have no talent.’ Yeah right," Williams said on the court. "… We got winners.”
Williams's performance led her to being named the WNBA Finals MVP by commissioner Cathy Engelbert.
Veronica Burton posted a double-double on Saturday night by recording 10 points and 11 rebounds. Tiffany Hayes was the only other Golden State player in double-digits in scoring with 11 points—Williams dominated that much.
It was an exciting scene when the Dream's Rhyne Howard missed a three-pointer to end the game. The Valkyries celebrated in their home arena, the Chase Center, with a sold-out crowd. Confetti shot from the rooftops as the players hugged each other and cried. It was a historic moment in the league and team history.
The Valkyries are the first WNBA expansion team to win a title. Additionally, they're the first WNBA franchise to win in just their second season as a team. It was an impressive win all around for the Valkyries.
The Dream definitely made it a difficult series for the Valkyries. Atlanta was even up 30-24 at the half, but Williams and the Valkyries came out charging after halftime. The Dream will definitely be back in this spot sooner rather than later.
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