Michael VoepelOct 20, 2026, 07:30 AM ETCloseMichael Voepel is a senior writer who covers the WNBA, women’s college basketball and other college sports. Voepel began covering women’s basketball in 1984, and has been with ESPN since 1996.Multiple AuthorsOpen Extended ReactionsSAN FRANCISCO — Kaila Charles got in position for her most important rebound of the season. Her Golden State Valkyries were clinging to a two-point lead in the closing seconds of Saturday’s Game 1 of the WNBA Finals. The Dream had just launched a 3-pointer and Atlanta’s Angel Reese, the league’s top rebounder the past three years, was waiting for a potential tying putback.But Charles boxed her out and grabbed the missed shot.
That led to two free throws by Golden State teammate Gabby Williams to seal the series opener for the Valkyries. In all, Charles got three defensive rebounds in the final 1 minute, 7 seconds of a close, intense game.”Kai is all about heart and hustle,” Golden State coach Natalie Nakase said. “We’ve really been leaning on [her] in moments when she comes in. She changes the game.”Charles is one of several players making an impact in the Finals who might not have been instant stars when they arrived in the league but have found the right fit.Others, such as Atlanta’s Jordin Canada, have been successful in the past but have now fully stepped into the spotlight this postseason.
In Monday’s Game 2, Canada registered 13 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds to help the Dream even the series 1-1 with a 79-65 victory.Here are six players having breakout moments who have shown that timing is everything.Gabby Williams: ‘Just go at me’Williams maintains it’s less about her blossoming and more about her not being given respect in the past. But statistically, her impact has never been bigger than right now, and her popularity is at its zenith with Valkyries fans. With Williams in her eighth WNBA season but her first in the Bay Area, Golden State has been the best fit for her in every aspect.The Chicago Sky drafted Williams out of UConn with the No. 4 pick in 2018, and she played there three seasons. She was traded to the Los Angeles Sparks prior to the 2021 campaign, but she didn’t play in the WNBA that year as she concentrated on competing in the Olympics with the French national team.
Williams’ time with Team France has helped expand her game and perhaps even more importantly has made her feel appreciated.The Sparks traded Williams to the Storm before the 2022 season, and she was with Seattle through 2025, although she played just 10 games in 2023 and 12 in 2024. Then last season, she broke out with the Storm: Williams played all 44 games, made her first All-Star Game, was on the All-Defensive first team and averaged career highs in points, assists and steals.After signing with Golden State this season, Williams improved her scoring average to a career-best 14.4 points and was again selected to the All-Defensive first team. Making her first appearance in the WNBA Finals, she led the Valkyries with 26 points in Game 1.”Her ‘killer’ mode goes up a level every game,” Nakase said. “The best thing she told me is, ‘Just go at me.
Like in games, I need directness.'”Those are the best players to coach, because you can just say [something] right away and it doesn’t waste time. The fact that she told me her coaching style right away made us grow closer together.”Jordin Canada: ‘The most rewarding year’Canada hasn’t had to worry about having a WNBA job; she has started more than 70% of her games across a nine-year career. But she has never shined so brightly as she has in 2026, a culmination of her growth and resilience through injuries.”She’s just everything you’d want from a point guard,” Atlanta coach Karl Smesko said.Drafted No. 5 out of UCLA in 2018 by Seattle, she won two WNBA titles as a backup to Hall of Famer Sue Bird during four campaigns there.”I’m a lot older now. I’ve learned a lot,” Canada said of this Finals appearance.
“Obviously, I’m in a different role than I was my first two championships of coming off the bench and trying to figure out where I can get in.”After two years with the Los Angeles Sparks, Canada was traded to Atlanta before the 2024 season. Injuries limited her to 20 games in 2024 and 28 in 2025. But she has played all but one game this year while averaging 31.1 minutes, during which she averaged 11.6 points and a career-best 7.3 assists in the regular season with those numbers increasing to 16.7 and 8.7 in the playoffs.”My leadership has grown over the years, being able to talk more, communicate more, bring my championship experience to this team,” Canada said. “Those are just some of the ways that I feel that I have grown.
It’s been the most rewarding year that I’ve had.”Veronica Burton: The ‘smartest worker’A three-time Big Ten defensive player of the year at Northwestern, Burton was the No. 7 pick in the 2022 draft and stayed with the Dallas Wings for two seasons. Cut just before the 2024 campaign, Burton was signed by the Connecticut Sun. But she was left available in the expansion draft, and Golden State took her. It has been the perfect fit.”It’s about understanding that when one door closes, that doesn’t mean all of them are closed,” Burton said of her WNBA path.
“It may not go exactly as you initially imagined, but I hope people can learn from my journey.”Burton was the WNBA’s Most Improved Player in 2025 and was on the All-Defensive Team this season and last. This year, she averaged a career-high 12.2 points in the regular season and ranked No. 9 in the WNBA in assists (5.7). While her averages have dropped in the playoffs, her impact has endured.Nakase said that helping Burton reach her best these past two seasons is the same process she has used with other players.”It’s just asking them the questions … what is your learning style and what do you need from me?” Nakase said. “She said, ‘I just need someone to believe in me as a coach.'”Her work ethic is the best.
Last year, she showed up too much, like 8 in the morning. She learned to trust me that you don’t always have to be the ‘hardest’ worker, you have to be the smartest worker.”Kiah Stokes: ‘Clicked immediately’The 6-foot-3 center has as much championship experience as anyone in this series, with three NCAA titles at UConn and three WNBA titles with the Las Vegas Aces. The No. 11 pick in the 2015 draft by the Liberty, Stokes spent five full seasons with New York. (She sat out in 2019.) Then in 2021, she was waived by the Liberty in late June after playing nine games.Two days later, Las Vegas signed her — and the best part of her pro career began. She won the 2022, 2023 and 2025 championships with the Aces.
Stokes was a valuable part of the team but understandably was overshadowed by perennial league MVP A’ja Wilson.Now with the Valkyries, Stokes is a full-time starter, averaging her most minutes (22.3) during the regular season since 2020 with New York. Her scoring (3.6) and rebounding (5.8) averages don’t stand out, but the way she does everything the Valkyries need — screening, passing, help defense, rim protection — has in many ways made this her signature season.Despite the Game 2 loss, Stokes on Monday joined Brittney Griner (2014) as the only players in WNBA history to record four-plus blocks in consecutive Finals games.Her personality meshes with that of Nakase, who was an Aces assistant while Stokes was with Las Vegas.”We clicked immediately,” Stokes said. “We understand each other. She understands the game.
She understands the work ethic.”Naz Hillmon: ‘A reality check’Hillmon was the program changer at Michigan, the most important recruit in coach Kim Barnes Arico’s mission to make the Wolverines a contender. Hillmon led Michigan to its first Sweet 16 in 2021 and its first Elite Eight in 2022, after which she was a second-round pick by the Dream at No. 15. That was a steal for Atlanta: No player in that draft class has played more WNBA regular-season games (201) than Hi
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