Joe Lacob had a bold vision when he became the majority owner of the Golden State Valkyries in 2023. He promised to bring a WNBA championship to the franchise within five years, an ambitious goal given the league’s established contenders. The Valkyries would have to do something special to make it happen.
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Fast-forward to 2026, and the franchise is already four wins away from delivering on that promise in just its second WNBA season. The Valkyries punched their ticket to the Finals by sweeping the Las Vegas Aces, led by MVP A’ja Wilson, 3-0. It was a masterclass in team chemistry and relentless grit against a star-studded dynasty, but Sophie Cunningham believes one particular factor helped the Valkyries stand out.
“I think something that is so hard about Golden State is that they truly all know their role, and they f*cking dominate their role,” Cunningham said on her No Hesitation podcast. “They know it, and they stay in it.
“They had four All-Star appearances amongst their whole team, combined. That’s insane, but they all work hard, and they all don’t care about the awards. Their egos are not in the way. All they want to do is win. And that’s why they’ve been on top of the W all year round. So I’m not surprised by this.”
The Valkyries have reached the WNBA Finals without a regular-season MVP or a single superstar dominating the spotlight. Even two-time All-Star Gabby Williams is part of a team that has built chemistry remarkably quickly in just its second season. If they can maintain that chemistry against the Atlanta Dream, who swept the New York Liberty, it could make all the difference in the Finals and help the new franchise make history.
Cunningham also highlighted players like Kiah Stokes, who averaged 10.3 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game. Scoring was never her priority, as she focused on making an impact on the defensive end. In Game 1, for instance, Stokes scored zero points but grabbed 14 rebounds and blocked four shots, making life difficult for Wilson and the Aces as the Valkyries won 71-60.
The Valkyries faced a tough battle in Game 2 but eventually won 83-81 despite nearly blowing a 17-point lead. Tiffany Hayes led the bench with 21 points, but A’ja Wilson and the Aces fought back to tie the game at 74-74 with just over two minutes left. That’s when Veronica Burton, who had been quiet for most of the night, stepped up.
Burton hit a three-pointer with 41 seconds left to put the Valkyries ahead for good and give them a 2-0 series lead.
The Aces looked ready to fight back in Game 3, taking a nine-point lead into halftime. However, the Valkyries turned things around with a dominant third quarter, going on a 17-0 run to take control. Hayes sparked the comeback with a steal and a quick assist to Stokes for a fast-break layup. Golden State held Las Vegas to just seven points in the quarter, turning a nine-point halftime deficit into a six-point lead heading into the fourth.
The Aces fought back in the fourth quarter, taking a six-point lead with three minutes left in regulation. But the Valkyries responded with an 8-0 run, with four players contributing to take a 71-69 lead. Jackie Young then scored a two-pointer to send the game into overtime. In the extra period, the Valkyries outscored the Aces 16-6 to complete the sweep.
Las Vegas had a championship-caliber roster packed with experience and a championship-winning coach. Alongside Wilson, they had Jackie Young, who averaged 18 points per game, and Chelsea Gray, who contributed 12 points and seven assists per game this season. Yet, this was the first time the Aces had been swept during Becky Hammon’s tenure.
Coaching the opposing side was Hammon’s former assistant, Natalie Nakase. Hammon’s reaction to the Valkyries’ success was similar to Cunningham’s.
“That is a TEAM, and I think they really play great team ball…On any given night, any of them can have 15, 20 on you because they share the ball, and…it seems like nobody cares who gets the credit,” Hammon told reporters after the loss. “And that’s a really special thing to have on a team, and I think Golden State has that.”
From the start of her time here, Nakase made it clear that toughness and strong two-way play would define the expansion franchise. She brought in defensive standouts like Williams and Burton to strengthen the team’s perimeter defense.
Regardless, it was a bittersweet moment for Nakase, who walked the tunnel with her head down. She had defeated Hammon, who brought her to the WNBA, and someone Nakase considers family.
Meanwhile, Williams once again proved why she might be underrated after Game 3. She ended the game with 16 points. Her biggest contribution came in overtime when she scored 8 of the Valkyries’ 16 points.
“It feels special because this is a special group,” Williams said. “We’re about to have some bandwagoners, but we ain’t got no love all season. Nobody believed in us, but it made us smile because we were like, ‘All we need is each other.’”
Expansion teams are rarely expected to make an immediate impact. The Atlanta Dream, for instance, lost their first 17 games during their inaugural WNBA season in 2008, finishing with a 4-30 record. The Seattle Storm also struggled in their debut season in 2000, ending with a 6-24 record.
The Valkyries, meanwhile, have enjoyed a rapid rise since making their WNBA debut just over a year ago. Although their championship ambitions remain unfulfilled, they have already made history by finishing the regular season with a 23-21 record, the best ever by an expansion team.
They even clinched a playoff spot as the eighth seed. Sadly, they lost to the Minnesota Lynx 2-0. Now, they’ve taken things a step further.
The Valkyries have become the fastest expansion team to reach the WNBA Finals, setting up a remarkable story if they can go all the way. Next up, they’ll look to ride the energy of a packed Chase Center as they take on Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream in San Francisco on Saturday, October 17.