Illustration by ESPNMichael VoepelCloseMichael VoepelESPN Senior WriterMichael 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., Alexa Philippou, Kendra Andrews, Kareem CopelandMultiple AuthorsOct 15, 2026, 07:30 AM ETOpen Extended ReactionsAfter joining the WNBA as an expansion team in 2008, it took the Atlanta Dream three seasons to make the WNBA Finals. The Golden State Valkyries, who debuted in 2025, reached the Finals in their second season.One of them will become a first-time WNBA champion before the end of the month. The best-of-seven WNBA Finals open Saturday (3:30 p.m.
ET) at Chase Center in San Francisco.The No. 2 seed Valkyries — who will host Games 1, 2 and, if necessary, 5 and 7 — are coming off a semifinals sweep of the defending champion Las Vegas Aces, while the No. 4 Dream swept the New York Liberty. Both those series ended Oct. 9, giving Golden State and Atlanta plenty of prep time ahead of Game 1.Expect defense to dominate the Finals, as the Valkyries and Dream were the No. 1- and 2-rated defensive teams this season. While the Valkyries appear to be healthy, Dream guard Allisha Gray — limited to 11 minutes in Game 1 of the semifinals because of an injury on her shooting hand (left) — has said she is day-to-day after undergoing a recent procedure.The Dream enter the Finals on a 10-game winning streak. Golden State won the regular-season series 3-0, but their last meeting was July 4.Atlanta is making its fourth WNBA Finals appearance, but was swept in 2010, 2011 and 2013.
Now the Dream will attempt to turn that disappointing history into an October celebration. And the Valkyries will try to join their NBA brethren Golden State Warriors as a league champion.ESPN breaks down how the teams match up and predicts which team will hoist the trophy.JUMP TO: GS | ATL | KEY QUESTIONS | PICKS(2) Golden State ValkyriesHow Golden State got hereThe Valkyries are the first team in league history to make the WNBA Finals within the first two years of its franchise launch. They beat the Dallas Wings in three games in the best-of-three first-round series and then swept Las Vegas in the semifinals. Golden State is 5-1 this postseason, with the lone loss being Game 2 on the road against the Wings, when Arike Ogunbowale had 45 points.The Valkyries have looked unflappable since then.
In the first game of the semifinals, they held the Aces to a season-low 60 points and were plus-27 on the boards (grabbing a franchise-record 52 rebounds, including 17 offensive). In Game 3, the Valkyries rallied from their first double-digit deficit of the series to win in overtime. Gabby Williams has continued her breakout year and is the leading scorer remaining this postseason, averaging 22.7 points. Kiah Stokes is the series’ leading rebounder with 9.5 per game. — Kendra AndrewsGolden State’s projected startersG Veronica Burton (9.5 PPG) F Kayla Thornton (10.8 PPG) F Gabby Williams (22.7 PPG) F Cecilia Zandalasini (8.5 PP) C Kiah Stokes (9.5 RPG)What we’re hearing about the ValkyriesAfter becoming the first expansion team to make the playoffs in its inaugural season, the Valkyries were primed for greater success in Year 2 — and aren’t surprised to be here.
“This is unimaginable, but for us it’s so realistic,” Burton said after the Valkyries swept the Aces. “It’s what we expected and what we’ve worked for. It’s what we believed in the entire year.”The players developed an immediate bond and chemistry. Part of that they credit to a clear game plan and vision from the top of the organization down, but also to the fact the roster is built of players unwanted by their previous clubs.”A lot of us bounced around, and that’s what makes it special,” Thornton said.
“A lot of us have been denied. … When you bring this group together, we create something big. We do it for each other because we know what we’ve been through.”But as a group, the Valkyries don’t have championship experience. Only four players on the roster have competed for a WNBA title: Thornton (2024), Tiffany Hayes (2023), Zandalasini (2024) and Stokes (2022, 2023, 2025).
Coach Natalie Nakase was an assistant on Las Vegas’ first two title teams.”We have other WNBA champs, we have other Olympians,” Williams said. “We all know how to get it done, we just now have to get it done together.” — AndrewsWhy the Valkyries can win the titleGolden State’s depth will be its superpower in this series. After having the best second unit in the WNBA throughout the regular season, the Valkyries’ bench is scoring a league-best 32.3 points in the playoffs. The Dream’s starting lineup has been the best scoring group in the postseason, but their bench averages 16.2 points.
One of the biggest luxuries the Valkyries have is never knowing exactly who will go off from game to game — but always knowing someone will.Janelle Salaun won Sixth Player of the Year but has experienced a quiet postseason. Instead, Hayes has provided a massive spark off of the bench (13.3 PPG in the playoffs vs. 9.0 in the regular season), while Kaitlyn Chen and Kaila Charles have had momentum-swinging spurts. In Game 3 of the first round, Burton was benched after air balling consecutive shots, but the Valkyries didn’t miss a beat, a luxury many teams don’t have.If the Dream are without Gray, it shrinks Atlanta’s depth and gives the Valkyries’ already dominant depth more of an advantage. — AndrewsIf they win, the Finals MVP will be…This might be the easiest question in this preview. The addition of Williams took the Valkyries from a playoff team to a championship contender.
She finished No. 2 in Defensive Player of the Year voting and made a defense that was already elite in 2025 (ranked No. 3 with a 99.8 defensive rating) even better (No. 1 with a 99.1 rating, with no other club being better than 103.0). During the first two rounds, she averaged 22.7 points (No. 5 of all players in the postseason), 4.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists (No. 9) and 1.7 steals (No. 6). All of those metrics have increased from the regular season, including more than 8.0 points per game. She’s shooting 40.5% from behind the arc and her 2.8 3-pointers per game ranks No. 4 in the playoffs and is the highest amongst those still playing.Williams is one of the most well-rounded players in the league, and her addition gave the Valkyries a starter who could consistently create her own shot in 1-on-1 situations, something that was missing with Golden State.
She has been the biggest difference in this 2026 Valkyries squad to the point that owner Joe Lacob, after an incredible Game 1 of the semifinals, declared Williams the best player in the world. — Kareem CopelandIf they lose, it will be because… The Dream find cracks in the Valkyries defense. Golden State has allowed more than 81 points just once in the playoffs. In the five victories, opponents averaged 74.2 points.
The Valkyries aren’t just an offensive juggernaut but are four wins from holding the trophy due to a stifling defense that feeds the offense. If Dream coach Karl Smesko can figure out a way to get clean looks for Rhyne Howard, Gray (if available), Jordin Canada and DeWanna Bonner, and if Angel Reese can be successful against Stokes, that’s a significant advantage. Golden State isn’t exactly built for shootouts, and Atlanta has averaged 92.6 points this postseason. — CopelandPlayer ready for Finals spotlightStokes is familiar with the Finals, less so with the spotlight. But she deserves her time to shine.
Stokes started just seven games at UConn but won three NCAA titles. The No. 11 draft pick in 2015 by New York, she stayed with the Liberty until being waived in June 2021. Two days later, Las Vegas signed her she was signed by Las Vegas. She won three WNBA championships with the Aces.
Now she’s a key part of the Valkyries, starting all season for them.Stokes’ commitment to doi
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