™The first Game 7 in WNBA Finals history delivered a champion worthy of the occasion. The Golden State Valkyries, in only their second season of existence, beat the Atlanta Dream 68–63 on Saturday night at Chase Center in San Francisco to win the franchise's first WNBA championship, taking the series 4–3 in front of their own crowd at Ballhalla.
Williams takes over after halftime
For a half, it looked as though Atlanta's night might end in celebration instead. The Dream trailed 14–12 after the first quarter, then outscored Golden State 18–10 in the second to take a 30–24 lead into halftime, with Jordin Canada leading all scorers with 13 points at the break. Atlanta's lead stretched to as many as nine points. Gabby Williams, meanwhile, had just two points on 1-of-4 shooting in the first half.
Then the second half belonged entirely to her. Williams scored 15 points in the third quarter — including three straight three-pointers — as Golden State outscored Atlanta 21–14 to carry a 45–44 lead into the fourth. She added 13 more in the final quarter, finishing with a game-high 30 points on 10-of-23 shooting, with four blocks, three rebounds, two assists and two steals. Twenty-eight of her 30 points came after halftime, and she was named WNBA Finals MVP.
A defensive finish
The fourth quarter stayed tight until the closing minutes. Atlanta tied the game at 53 and again at 55, but Williams answered with a long three-pointer with 2:19 to play, and a Kiah Stokes putback pushed Golden State ahead 64–57 with 53 seconds left. The Valkyries closed it out from there for a 68–63 win.
Tiffany Hayes, hobbled in the third quarter before returning, added 11 points for Golden State, and Veronica Burton posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds to go with five assists. Stokes finished with eight points, 13 rebounds and two blocks. For Atlanta, Canada led the way with 18 points, Allisha Gray added 16, and Angel Reese finished with eight points and 12 rebounds.
What it means
The title completes a remarkable two-year rise for the Valkyries, who joined the WNBA as an expansion franchise in 2025 and made the playoffs in their first season before going all the way in their second — fulfilling owner Joe Lacob's bold promise of a championship within the franchise's first five years. Golden State had the title within reach in Game 6, only for Atlanta to force the decider with an 80–69 win on Thursday. This time, in front of their home crowd, the Valkyries finished the job.
For Atlanta, the wait goes on. The Dream, who forced the first Game 7 in Finals history since the series expanded to best-of-seven in 2025, are still chasing a first championship in franchise history after a season in which they came within one win of it. The 2026 season ends with Golden State on top — and a championship parade in San Francisco to follow.