The Golden State Valkyries secured their first WNBA championship in only their second season, defeating the Atlanta Dream 68-63 in a dramatic Game 7 at the Chase Center on Saturday. The victory, witnessed by a crowd of 18,000 fans, was highlighted by a standout performance from forward Gabby Williams, who scored 30 points to lead a team of largely unheralded players. Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase, in her second year at the helm, dedicated the triumph to overlooked athletes across the league.
Despite the excitement surrounding the title, the WNBA’s 30th season was marked by ongoing challenges that at times overshadowed the on-court action. Scheduling issues persisted into the Finals, with Game 6 moved to a 12:30 p.m. start on a Thursday, leading to a 9:30 a.m. local tipoff in the Bay Area. This adjustment allowed the Dream to play in Atlanta’s larger State Farm Arena instead of their usual 3,500-seat Gateway Center Arena but drew criticism from fans for the inconvenient timing. The arrangement also resulted in a one-sided Game 6 loss for Golden State and prompted the Dream’s ownership to publicly express frustration. In an open letter, they said their concerns about scheduling conflicts with the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks had been raised two months earlier but were not addressed with sufficient urgency.
The season began on a hopeful note after the league averted a potential work stoppage by negotiating a record-setting player pay raise. The arrival of rising stars such as Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark had generated renewed interest, contributing to record television viewership and attendance growth. However, the league also grappled with multiple controversies, including debates over its lack of a transgender player policy despite no transgender athletes currently in the league, as well as ongoing complaints from players about overly physical play and targeted abuse both in arenas and online. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert condemned the mistreatment and said the league enhanced security measures, but some players and the players union called for stronger leadership and publicly proactive responses.
In early September, Engelbert announced she would step down at the end of the season. A search for her successor is underway, led by the firm Excel Search & Advisory. The new leadership will face the challenge of balancing sustained growth with organizational stability. The league plans to expand to 18 teams over the next four years, adding franchises in NBA cities Philadelphia, Detroit, and Cleveland. The Dream also intends to move permanently to State Farm Arena for its home games starting next season.
The intensifying schedule—set to increase the regular season to 50 games next year, nearly doubling the inaugural campaign’s length—has raised concerns about potential conflicts with NBA events, especially as the WNBA’s playoff games gain value. The league’s current television contracts total $281 million annually and are up for renegotiation after 2028. In response to scheduling issues and to secure a dedicated home venue, Dream controlling owner Larry Gottesdiener has proposed constructing the first arena ever owned by a WNBA team, a move that could resolve many logistical challenges moving forward.