Golden State wins first WNBA title in franchise history

The Golden State Valkyries brought to a decision a WNBA play that shattered viewership and attendance records with their archetypal WNBA title Saturday successful a thrilling 68-63 victory implicit the Atlanta Dream in Game 7.

The triumph was the archetypal for a squad successful a Game 7. The league transitioned from a five-game bid to a seven-game bid starting past year.

This is the archetypal rubric for the Valkyries successful conscionable their 2nd play arsenic a team. And the Dream are present winless successful 4 WNBA Finals appearances.

The 2026 play was an unqualified occurrence for the WNBA. The league acceptable a caller attendance grounds with 3.8 cardinal fans attending 330 regular play games, according to the WNBA. The league said mean attendance was up 21% from past year's grounds high. 

ESPN, ABC and CBS each delivered their most-watched seasons successful history, according to the WNBA. The league had 3 times arsenic galore games averaging astatine slightest 1 cardinal viewers arsenic the erstwhile grounds acceptable past year.

How they got here

The Valkyries, contempt having conscionable 1 All-Star, took a large leap successful conscionable their 2nd twelvemonth successful the league.

The squad is owned by Joe Lacob and Peter Guber, who besides ain the Golden State Warriors. The squad rapidly became relevant, going 23-21 successful their archetypal twelvemonth successful beingness earlier losing successful the archetypal circular of the playoffs.

The signing of Gabby Williams successful the offseason propelled the squad to adjacent greater success. The Valkyries went 32-12 successful the regular play and bushed the Paige Bueckers-led Dallas Wings and A'ja Wilson-led Las Vegas Aces to beforehand to the rubric series. 

The Dream didn't suffer a crippled connected its way to the rubric series, defeating the Kiki Iriafen-led Washington Mystics and the Breanna Stewart-led New York Liberty successful sweeps.

The Valkyries won Game 1 astatine home, 68-64, down 26 points from Williams. Atlanta dominated the adjacent 2 games down all-time large performances from prima Angel Reese. The Dream prima posted 30 points and 16 rebounds successful Game 2 and 21 points and 12 rebounds successful Game 3.

Reese struggled to people successful games 4 and 5, shooting conscionable 4-of-20 with 15 points combined, arsenic the Valkyries wrestled power of the bid distant from the Dream. 

Game 6 controversy

Game 6 started astatine 12:30 p.m. since the Atlanta Hawks were scheduled to play astatine the State Farm Arena connected Thursday night. The Dream plays its regular play games astatine Gateway Center Arena, but its capableness is conscionable 3,500 compared to astir 17,000 astatine State Farm Arena.

"This unthinkable tally by our players has besides made thing other abundantly clear: the Atlanta Dream has earned the close to beryllium taken seriously," the team's ownership, hubby and woman Larry Gottesdiener and Robyn Gottesdiener, Suzanne Abair and Renee Montgomery, said successful a statement.

"Two months ago, erstwhile the WNBA finalized playoff dates and times, we raised concerns that the W Finals docket conflicted with NBA games astatine State Farm Arena," the connection continued. "As we moved done the playoffs, we reiterated those concerns. Our concerns did not person the attention, nor the urgency that they deserved."

Despite the aboriginal commencement time, the Dream inactive sold retired the arena.

In a statement, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said the league preferred to play the crippled astatine State Farm Arena.

"The sellout crowds and bonzer ambiance astatine State Farm Arena for Games 3 and 4 were a tremendous success, and we're excited to springiness thousands much fans the accidental to acquisition Game 6 with a title connected the line," said Engelbert. "We convey the NBA, Dream, Valkyries, Hawks, State Farm Arena and USA Network for the collaboration and flexibility that made this determination possible. We look guardant to delivering different unforgettable Finals acquisition successful Atlanta."

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