The Valkyries sweep the champion Aces and reach the WNBA Finals in their second season
The short version
The Golden State Valkyries reached the WNBA Finals on October 9, 2026, sweeping the defending champion Las Vegas Aces with an 87-77 overtime win in Game 3. In their second season, they are the fastest expansion team to reach the Finals in the league's 30-year history, and they face the Atlanta Dream starting October 17.
How did the Valkyries close out the Aces?
With a road win in overtime. Golden State opened the semifinals with a 71-60 win at Chase Center on October 4, per the Associated Press game recap, and finished the 3-0 sweep 87-77 in overtime on October 9, per KQED.
Kayla Thornton led Golden State with 18 points in the clincher, followed by Gabby Williams with 16 and Tiffany Hayes and Kiah Stokes with 11 each, per Newsweek. A'ja Wilson scored 21 for Las Vegas a day after winning her record fifth MVP.
How fast is a Finals trip for an expansion team?
Faster than anyone has done it. The Valkyries are the quickest expansion franchise to reach the Finals in the league's 30-year history, per the Associated Press. In 2025 they became the first expansion team to make the playoffs in its first season, then lost in the first round to Minnesota, per KQED.
This year they went 32-12 as the No. 2 seed and survived a three-game first round against Dallas, per Newsweek, with the league's best home record, per the AP.
Who built this team?
A coach who learned from the champions she just beat, and a roster assembled from scratch. Natalie Nakase played in the WNBA, coached as a Clippers assistant and won the 2022 and 2023 titles as an Aces assistant, then was named 2025 Coach of the Year, per KQED. The roster began with the 2024 expansion draft, which let Golden State take one player from each existing team.
Free agency did the rest. Gabby Williams has averaged 22.7 points in the playoffs, up from 14.4 in the regular season, per the AP. Owner Joe Lacob predicted a title within five years when he bought the team, per the same report.
What does the Finals run mean for the franchise?
It adds playoff dates to a business that already leads the league. The Valkyries have sold out every regular-season home game in both seasons, averaging 18,064 fans, per EssentiallySports. Sportico ranked them the most valuable WNBA team at $850 million, which the breakdown of the Valkyries’ value explains. The players on that roster are paid under the new WNBA salary structure.
When do the Finals start?
Saturday, October 17, at 3:30 p.m. Eastern at Chase Center, with Game 2 there on October 19, per Front Office Sports. The opponent is the Atlanta Dream, who swept the New York Liberty. Neither team has won a WNBA title, and Golden State won all three regular-season meetings, per the AP. The full schedule and matchups are in the Finals preview.
Sources
- Associated Press game recap via CBS Sports: Aces at Valkyries, October 4, 2026
- KQED: Valkyries advance to WNBA Finals after sweeping Aces
- Newsweek: Valkyries sweep Aces to reach first WNBA Finals
- Associated Press via KSL: A first-time WNBA champion awaits
- EssentiallySports: Valkyries sell out every home game in two straight seasons
- Front Office Sports: Valkyries commit to hosting Finals at Chase despite Doja Cat conflict
Data current as of October 9, 2026. Figures are linked where each one appears. Leagues and regulators update these rules; check the source before relying on a number.
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