How Gabby Williams ignited Valkyries to WNBA championship - ESPN

SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Valkyries are the 2026 WNBA champions!

In just their second season, the Valkyries are the last team standing after beating the Atlanta Dream 66-61 in a winner-take-all Game 7 of the WNBA Finals on Saturday at Chase Center.

Gabby Williams turned the game in Golden State's favor, scoring 13 points in a row — including three consecutive 3-pointers — for the Valkyries in the third quarter. The Valkyries were trailing 37-32 when Williams heated up. She made just one field goal in the first half but finished with 30 points on 10-for-23 shooting, including 4-for-8 from beyond the arc.

Williams tied Penny Taylor's 2007 record for most points in a winner-take-all WNBA Finals game.

It was the first time this series that the team that was ahead at halftime did not win the game.

ESPN was courtside for all of the Game 7 action, providing analysis and highlights.

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Postgame analysis | Relive the action

How the Valkyries won the WNBA championship: Two things that were true all season for Golden State came through for the Valkyries in Game 7: They played excellent defense, and Gabby Williams was a superstar.

When they write stories about all-time Bay Area performances, there will be a chapter about Williams, who came to Golden State as a free agent this season and made the second-year franchise a champion. She would be the first to point to her teammates for all they did, but Williams was the ultimate difference-maker in this series.

In a game in which she struggled in the first half, Williams seemed to duck into a phone booth in the third quarter and turn into Superwoman. She finished with 30 points and also made several strong defensive plays, including four blocks.

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