The Golden State Valkyries completed one of the most remarkable championship runs in North American professional sports history, winning the 2026 WNBA title in just their second season. No team had ever become champions that quickly, and the Valkyries did it without a single All-WNBA player — a first in league history. "All it took was good people. That's it," Finals MVP Gabby Williams said. "All we heard last year, 'We don't have no stars, we don't have no talent.' Yeah right. We got good people. We got winners. We got people who are ready to put their bodies on the floor to win a game."
Historic Championship Run
After making the playoffs as an expansion team in 2025, the Valkyries opened the 2026 season 10-7 and just 3-6 against eventual playoff teams. A nine-game winning streak that included three victories over the Atlanta Dream in 11 days transformed their season. They closed 22-5 to finish 32-12 as the No. 2 seed. Their defense was historic: a 99.1 defensive rating led the league by more than four points per 100 possessions, while they ranked second in opponent turnover rate (19.2%) and opponent true shooting (53.5%). Williams made the All-Defensive First Team, with Veronica Burton and Kiah Stokes on the Second Team. The Valkyries held opponents to a league-low 14 restricted-area attempts per game, 61.4% shooting on those attempts, and 31.1 points in the paint per game.
Playoff Resilience
Offensive struggles — 108.2 offensive rating (7th), last in field goal percentage (42.2%), no player averaging 15 points — nearly ended their run early. They trailed the Dallas Wings by 16 in the second half of a winner-take-all Game 3 before rallying for the franchise's first playoff series win. In the semifinals, they swept the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces despite shooting 36.4% from the field, completing the sweep with an overtime comeback in Game 3. The Finals followed a similar script: four wins with scores of 68, 67, 64, and 68 points. In Game 7, Williams scored 28 of her 30 points in the second half, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with just over two minutes remaining, tying the record for most points in a winner-take-all Finals game.
Offseason Outlook and Free Agency
General manager Ohemaa Nyanin traded the No. 8 pick (Flau'jae Johnson) for two second-rounders to preserve salary cap flexibility. The Valkyries have only $3.2 million in guaranteed money for 2027 against a projected cap above $7 million, positioning them to pursue a max free agent. Key free agents include Kayla Thornton (unrestricted), Tiffany Hayes (unrestricted), Cecilia Zandalasini (restricted), and Kaitlyn Chen (reserved). Top targets on the market include Napheesa Collier, Jackie Young, Kelsey Mitchell, and Kelsey Plum. Collier, a former Defensive Player of the Year, would bolster the offense without compromising the defensive identity. Young offers elite offense with adequate defense, while Mitchell and Plum are offensive upgrades but significant defensive liabilities.
Draft Considerations
The Valkyries hold their own picks at Nos. 14, 29, and 44 in the 2027 WNBA Draft. Given their draft-and-stash approach last year, French forward Aïnhoa Risacher — an unselfish, defense-minded player — could be a fit at No. 14 without disrupting current operations. The roster already includes three French players.
