Golden State Valkyries Make History in Second Season
The Golden State Valkyries are celebrating extraordinary achievements this season, both in their performance and off the court. Recently, Forbes announced that the WNBA expansion franchise has garnered the league’s highest valuation, just ahead of the WNBA’s significant 30th season kick-off.
In a groundbreaking achievement, the Valkyries became the first expansion team in league history to reach the playoffs in their debut season back in 2025. They also managed to sell out every home game, setting a league attendance record with an impressive average of over 18,000 fans per game. Building on this momentum, they overcame the Dallas Wings in Game 3 of the playoffs, clinching their first playoff series win.
In a thrilling matchup, Valkyries forward Gabby Williams scored 19 points, helping the team come back from a 16-point deficit to win the game 77-73. It was a true nail-biter, deciding the fate of the series in a winner-take-all scenario.
The game’s pivotal moment happened with just 13.1 seconds left while Golden State led by a point. Williams made a crucial play by jumping back inbounds to grab her own missed shot, even though it was initially ruled as Dallas’s ball. Luckily for the Valkyries, coach Natalie Nakase was able to challenge the call successfully.
The tension in the arena was palpable as Nakase fell to her knees in emotion before needing assistance to leave the court, a powerful moment amidst the team’s celebrations.
Meanwhile, Arike Ogunbowale had an impressive performance, scoring 30 points for Dallas, which included a tough, off-balance jumper that briefly gave the Wings a five-point lead. Williams notably stepped up in the second half, contributing all but two of her points then, while teammate Veronica Burton added 16 points and played a key role with 10 rebounds and six assists. Burton’s layup helped to cut the Wings’ lead to just two points, and Williams sank two late 3-pointers, propelling the Valkyries into the semifinals against the Las Vegas Aces.
Prior to the game, Nakase had motivated her team by urging them to commit to playing their best for all four quarters. “We made a promise to ourselves we are going to play the best four quarters of our lives,” she encouraged.
The Valkyries are set to host the defending champion Las Vegas Aces in Game 1 of the semifinals on Sunday, while the Atlanta Dream will take on the New York Liberty in the other semifinal matchup.
