After 13 postseason games and a historic seven-game Finals, Kiah Stokes’ body was screaming. Winning a championship is supposed to make every sacrifice feel worthwhile. But after a postseason that pushed the Golden State Valkyries through 13 high-leverage games, including a historic seven-game WNBA Finals, the celebrations came with a reminder of just how much Stokes had endured.
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“I know I was saying like seven games is a long series, but I didn’t realize it’s actually so long,” Stokes said when asked about the toll of playing in a seven-game Finals series during her exit interview. Her response was recorded and posted to X by Valkyries reporter Kenzo Fukuda.
“To play the same team seven times in a row is tough, mentally and physically. Yeah, my body hurts so bad right now. I’m definitely feeling old, so to speak. But it was grueling, it was physical, it was tough. I think, once it’s over and you actually take a step back and you realize, ‘damn, yeah, my shit, everything hurts.'”
The WNBA Finals between the Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream was the first time the Finals had gone to seven games, following a format change last season. Neither side managed to build a decisive advantage throughout the series, with both teams trading wins and losses before the Valkyries sealed the deal in Game 7.
The teams had to manage several cross-country trips during the two-week stretch, which meant that the physical demands of the games were accompanied by fatigue from travel. Stokes started all 13 games for the Valkyries in the postseason as the most important part of their defense, playing 371 total minutes while recording 130 rebounds and 31 blocks.
Her numbers were even more impressive in the Finals. Stokes averaged 10.4 rebounds and 2.7 blocks against Atlanta, setting a new WNBA Finals record for total blocks over the series with 19.
She was also key in shutting down one of Atlanta’s top offensive weapons, Angel Reese. After Reese dropped 30 points and 16 rebounds in Game 2 and followed it up with 21 points and 12 rebounds in Game 3, Stokes completely neutralized the forward. Over the final four games of the series, Reese averaged 9.5 points per game on 26.6% from the field while turning the ball over 4.7 times per game.
Stokes already knew heading into the game that she was going to have to play hard on defense, especially since her offensive game is not as strong.
“The physicality is the Finals,” Stokes said after the Valkyries took Game 4 to tie the series at 2-2.
“We don’t know what the refs are going to call. Like it could be against us or [for] us. But we got to make sure we just bring physicality and make it one through five. We got to make it hard for them to get easy looks.”
Natalie Nakase Highlights Stokes’ Professionalism as Valkyries Reflect on Finals Fatigue
Golden State’s coaching staff understood how important recovery was during the postseason. Head coach Natalie Nakase previously had heaped praise on her center for the attention she paid to her body, using various methods to keep herself fresh and ready to contribute.
“She does everything to make sure her body’s right, whether it’s like ice tubs, just being super mindful to keep her, she does an amazing job of not letting the outside noise get to her,” Nakase said.
“Kiah leads by example for our team. And I think that’s really important because she’s been through obviously the Finals many times. And I love that the biggest thing is Kiah stays consistent… With that type of star mentality, I think that’s really special. And that’s what keeps us really focused.”
Notably, Stokes isn’t the only one feeling the effects of the physicality of the Finals. During the exit interviews, Valkyries star and Finals MVP Gabby Williams also expressed that a “sore” feeling had taken hold after the series.
“I got arthritis,” she told the media.
“My knees always hurt. It wasn’t because I got hit. I just got knees, but it’s a physical series. I’m good… I don’t know. I’m sore.”
The Valkyries ultimately came away with a championship in only their second season, while Stokes added a fourth WNBA title to her resume. But as her exit interview made clear, the achievement only came after a postseason that demanded a lot from the players who made it possible.