Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Williams produced one of the greatest performances in WNBA history to secure the franchise's first championship in a 68-63 Game 7 victory, becoming the first expansion team to win a title in just its second season — the fastest in North American sports history.
Williams finished with 30 points, 28 of them in the second half, setting a WNBA playoff record for points in a single half and tying the mark for most points in a winner-take-all Finals game. She added three rebounds, two assists, two steals and four blocks to earn Finals MVP honors.
Teammate Kiah Stokes called Williams the team's leader and offensive engine all season, while owner Joe Lacob recalled his preseason pledge to win a championship within five years. The Valkyries achieved it in two, a feat Lacob attributed directly to Williams' arrival in free agency after she was cored by the Seattle Storm in 2025.
A former No. 4 overall pick by the Chicago Sky in 2018, Williams overcame a non-linear career that included a suspension and trade related to her French national team commitments. She blossomed into an All-Star with Seattle in 2025 before signing with Golden State, where she averaged a career-high 14.4 points, made her second All-Star appearance, earned All-Defensive First Team honors and finished runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year. In the playoffs she averaged 21 points per game — third among players who advanced past the first round — and set Finals records with 137 points and 18 steals.
The decisive stretch came in the third quarter when the Valkyries trailed by six. Williams scored 11 consecutive points, including a step-back three over DeWanna Bonner, a triple over Angel Reese, a corner three and a baseline turnaround. Late in the fourth quarter she added nine straight points, capped by a 31-foot go-ahead bomb with just over two minutes remaining.
"Nat told me to stay patient," Williams said of her coach's halftime message. "I trust her with my life. I stayed patient. Just trusted her. She said, 'Stay patient, stay patient, the game's gonna open up for you.' It did."
Williams reflected on a journey that took her from Chicago to Seattle to the Bay Area, crediting the love and culture of the Valkyries for transforming her career. "I would tell little Gabby how important, how far love can go," she said. "The best thing is sometimes right in front of you. It's people who love you, it's the people you love. That's what got me going tonight. That's what's got me going all season."
Celebrations will continue with a championship parade scheduled for Wednesday down the Embarcadero.
