\u2026 they\u2019ve made a mockery of the conventional expansion timetable. Built around a best-in-class defensive efficiency<\/a>, positional versatility and an unusually deep rotation, Golden State have become far more than the sum of their parts. Gabby Williams supplies the star power, Veronica Burton the steady hand and Natalie Nakase the uncompromising identity. Bryan Armen Graham<\/p>\n \u2026 the entire organization believed in this team before they even had a team. The Valkyries did so much correctly \u2013 they built the facilities, they hired Nakase, they showed the team and fans that they were all in. The players have wholly embraced playing for Golden State, and they\u2019ve fought their way to this achievement with the backing of an organization that understands that two-way relationship. Stephanie Kaloi<\/p>\n \u2026 they share the ball beautifully, play exceptional team defense, have a coach who will wring every ounce from them and herself \u2013 and they think patience is for losers. Andrew Lawrence<\/p>\n Quick GuideWNBA finals 2026Show<\/p>\n Schedule<\/p>\n Best-of-seven series. All times Eastern.<\/p>\n Sat 17 Oct Game 1: Atlanta at Golden State, 3.30pm (NBC)<\/p>\n Mon 19 Oct Game 2: Atlanta at Golden State, 8pm (USA\/CNBC)<\/p>\n Wed 21 Oct Game 3: Golden State at Atlanta, 8pm (USA\/CNBC)<\/p>\n Sat 24 Oct Game 4: Golden State at Atlanta, 1pm (NBC)<\/p>\n Mon 26 Oct Game 5: Atlanta at Golden State, 8pm* (USA\/CNBC)<\/p>\n Thu 29 Oct Game 6: Golden State at Atlanta, 8pm*\u00a0(USA\/CNBC)<\/p>\n Sat 31 Oct Game 7: Atlanta at Golden State, 8pm*\u00a0(USA\/CNBC)<\/p>\n *-if necessary<\/p>\n How to watch<\/p>\n In the US, the series will air on NBC, USA Network and CNBC, with all games streaming on Peacock. In the UK, it will be carried by Sky Sports. In Australia, fans can watch through WNBA League Pass, with selected coverage also available through ESPN.<\/p>\n Thank you for your feedback.<\/p>\n The Dream are here because …<\/p>\n \u2026 of elite rebounding, a strong backcourt and smart roster construction. Atlanta made two personnel moves this year that, if they win the title, will go down as some of the most astute decisions in this era of the W: they splashed for Angel Reese in the offseason<\/a> and then added DeWanna Bonner mid-season. They knew the pieces that they were missing and completed their puzzle. EB<\/p>\n \u2026 Reese has given Atlanta a ferocious presence on the glass, complementing a talented backcourt featuring Rhyne Howard, Allisha Gray and Jordin Canada. Karl Smesko\u2019s team can score in bunches but have reached another level defensively, overwhelming the defending champion Liberty in a three-game semi-final sweep. BAG<\/p>\n \u2026 they\u2019ve earned it. Atlanta have also done so much correctly: hiring Karl Smesko was a surprise, but a welcome one. Signing Reese gave the team the puzzle piece they needed, and the ironclad support from fans and the team\u2019s belief in themselves pushed them here today. The Dream have truly been a marvel to behold this season. SK<\/p>\n \u2026 they were smart enough to make a deadline deal for DeWanna Bonner \u2013 a Hall of Fame-caliber veteran with extensive championship experience whose steadying influence on this young team cannot be understated. That and coach Karl Smesko has challenged Reese to expand her shooting range, and the dividends are beginning to show. AL<\/p>\n The Valkyries have turned their home court, nicknamed Ballhalla, into one of the WNBA\u2019s most formidable venues. Photograph: Kavin Mistry\/Getty ImagesHave the Valkyries changed the blueprint for building a WNBA champion?<\/p>\n Yes, with a caveat. They are proof that you don\u2019t need to have one standalone superstar or spend years stacking draft picks to contend. But they\u2019ve also shown the importance of an ownership group willing to buy all the way in. Joe Lacob, who also owns the NBA\u2019s Warriors, was clear<\/a> in his ambition to make the Valkyries a champion. Not every WNBA-NBA owner has historically shown that kind of interest or enthusiasm. As we return to the days of most W teams sharing ownership groups with their NBA counterparts \u2013 that will be the case in Houston, Philadelphia, Detroit and Cleveland \u2013 watch who follows through. EB<\/p>\n Perhaps, although they still have four games to win. Golden State have demonstrated that expansion teams need not spend years stockpiling lottery picks or chasing marquee free agents. Shrewd drafting, identifying undervalued veterans and international talent and a clearly defined system can accelerate the process. Their rapid success challenges the league\u2019s star-driven orthodoxy. BAG<\/p>\n Yes. Golden State began shredding expectations with the 2024 expansion draft, and have doggedly proven that newcomers need not be defined by the past. The Valkyries haven\u2019t just raised the bar for expansion franchises; they\u2019ve raised it for the entire league. On the court, the players have shown what can be accomplished through collective effort rather than reliance on a single superstar. Off it, the front office and ownership took risks without knowing whether they would pay off. The Valkyries are proof of what\u2019s possible when an entire organization believes in a shared mission. SK<\/p>\n Yes. Not only have they shattered the long-held notion that it takes at least two superstars to make a title run; they\u2019re showing just how badly the rest of the league slept on Gabby Williams and Veronica Burton. And yet: I get the sense that teams will still feel like they need a big name to pour in the buckets and keep the seats filled. It may take dynastic run to truly flip hearts and minds. AL<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The coaching advantage goes to …<\/p>\n Nakase, but it\u2019s close. In a postseason where some teams have been \u2026 let\u2019s say \u2026 less-than-complimentary<\/a> of their coaches, it\u2019s been refreshing to see two teams who share a genuine trust and connection with theirs. I\u2019ll give the edge to Nakase because of her finals experience (two trips as an assistant on the Aces). EB<\/p>\n Nakase, just. Smesko has transformed Atlanta into a genuine contender, but Nakase\u2019s ability to extract championship-level performances from a roster assembled almost from scratch is extraordinary. Her defensive schemes dismantled former boss Becky Hammon\u2019s Aces and her willingness to trust the entire rotation gives Golden State a crucial tactical advantage. BAG<\/p>\n Nakase, because she\u2019s been here before as an assistant coach with Hammon. I\u2019m not discrediting Smesko at all, because he\u2019s one of the smartest in the game. Nakase has an experience edge that will help her, but both teams have something even more special: the full trust of their entire roster. SK<\/p>\n Mark me down as a push. I love how in sync Smesko is with his locker room, both from a vibes and Xs and Os standpoint. And I\u2019ve been following Natalie Nakase since her NBA emergence as the Clippers\u2019 top tape grinder. This stage isn\u2019t too big for either of these finals head coaching rookies. AL<\/p>\n skip past newsletter promotion<\/a>Free newsletter |Weekly for the 2026 WNBA season<\/p>\n Sign up to WNBA 30<\/p>\n A limited run women\u2019s basketball newsletter dedicated to the league\u2019s historic 30th season. <\/p>\n after newsletter promotion<\/p>\n Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase has transformed an expansion franchise into a championship contender in just two seasons. Photograph: San Francisco Chronicle\/Hearst Newspapers\/Getty ImagesUnheralded player to watch …<\/p>\n Naz Hillmon, Atlanta. Rhyne Howard calls Hillmon the backbone of the Dream. Their starting five is so stacked – four of their five expected starters average more than 13 points per game \u2013 that Hillmon (5.2 ppg) flies under the radar. She does the dirty work that doesn\u2019t show up in the box score. Atlanta have beaten Golden State just twice in their past six meetings; both times (last season), Hillmon had big games. EB<\/p>\n Kiah Stokes, Golden State. The veteran center\u2019s contributions rarely register in the scoring column, but her rim protection and rebounding were instrumental in neutralizing A\u2019ja Wilson<\/a> during the semi-finals. With Reese dominating the offensive glass, Stokes faces another formidable assignment. Her ability to limit second-chance opportunities could decide the series. BAG<\/p>\n Kiah Stokes, Golden State. Though after the last two weeks it\u2019s a little hard to argue she\u2019s unheralded. For the Dream, I think it\u2019s Jordin Canada. Both played crucial roles in their teams\u2019 semi-final series wins. SK<\/p>\n Kaitlyn Chen, Golden State. Unheralded is a label that only fits Chen so much. She was the straw that stirred UConn\u2019s 2024 NCAA title team. And now here she is again, playing big relief minutes in the backcourt for Golden State. I suppose the underdog element comes from her being selected in the third round of the 2025 draft. What a steal that turned out to be for the Valkyries. AL<\/p>\n Angel Reese has emerged as a driving force behind Atlanta\u2019s run to the WNBA finals, their first appearance in the championship series since 2013. Photograph: Stacy Revere\/Getty ImagesThe finals MVP will be …<\/p>\n Gabby Williams, Golden State. Lacob may have been biased when he called Williams the best player in the world after the Valkyries\u2019 Game 1 semi-final win over A\u2019ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces, but she has a solid case as the best all-around player in these finals. EB<\/p>\n Gabby Williams, Golden State. The French international has elevated her game spectacularly in the postseason, averaging 22.7 points through the semi-finals while providing her customary defensive disruption. On a team without a conventional superstar, Williams has become the closest thing to one. Expect her two-way brilliance to define the championship series. BAG<\/p>\n Angel Reese, Atlanta. I\u2019d bet on the Dream\u2019s third-year star if Atlanta can pull it off. She\u2019s electric right now. If the Valkyries win, I think it could be Gabby Williams, Kiah Stokes, Veronica Burton or Tiffany Hayes. To me, having four options is a sign that the team plays to its collective strengths instead of relying on one or two players to win. SK<\/p>\n Gabby Williams, Golden State. Her production is giving prime Napheesa Collier, and I don\u2019t see it dipping against the Dream\u2019s imposing frontcourt. AL<\/p>\n Valkyries guard Gabby Williams drives past Dream guard Jordin Canada during the second quarter of their July game at Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Georgia. Photograph: Brett Davis\/Getty ImagesThe winner will be …<\/p>\n Golden State in seven. I was the contrarian in our pre-playoffs predictions<\/a> and chose the Valkyries to win it all. I\u2019m sticking with that pick now. They\u2019re deep, they\u2019re in good form, they have the best home-court advantage in the league and they know how to beat the Dream. (They did it three times this season.) I\u2019ll say it again: if my preseason prediction of WNBA All-Star Veronica Burton couldn\u2019t come true, then I will settle for WNBA champion Veronica Burton. EB<\/p>\n Golden State in six. Atlanta have the individual talent and defensive chops to make this a fascinating series, particularly if Reese controls the glass and Howard finds her shooting touch. But Golden State swept all three regular-season meetings and have demonstrated an extraordinary ability to win in different ways. Their defensive versatility, superior depth and home-court advantage should prove decisive. Two years after entering the league, the Valkyries will complete one of the most remarkable championship runs in WNBA<\/a> history. BAG<\/p>\n Atlanta in six. I\u2019ll go with the Dream, but please don\u2019t think this is anything other than an excruciating question to answer. These WNBA finals are so special because two underdogs are fighting it out and either could win. Both teams are enormously talented and both bring compelling emotional stories to the table. What the Valkyries have done and continue to do is extraordinary, while what the Dream are accomplishing would have been unimaginable even last season. Golden State beat the Atlanta in all three regular-season meetings, but the teams haven\u2019t faced each other since early July. I think the series will go six games, each close and exciting, with the Dream ultimately closing it out on their home floor. SK<\/p>\n Golden State in six. I just think they\u2019re so good, so deep and \u2013 unlike the Minnesota Lynx just ahead of them in the standings \u2013 they haven\u2019t really lost form this season. I think the matchups definitely favored the Dream in their playoff run, but they meet their match in the Valkyries. The hope is that they can at least give Atlanta fans their money\u2019s worth after heaven and earth were moved for the Dream to maintain a real home court advantage at State Farm Arena. Still, I like the Valks in six games. AL<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Valkyries are here because … \u2026 of big dreams, excellent defense and smart roster construction. 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