*Gabby Williams picked Halloween night to deliver a performance that will haunt the Atlanta Dream for years.
The Golden State Valkyries superstar erupted for 30 points Saturday (Oct. 31), leading her team to a 68-63 victory over Atlanta in Game 7 of the WNBA Finals.
And here’s the part that makes the championship even more remarkable: The Valkyries have existed for just two seasons.
Williams scored 28 points after halftime, transforming a six-point deficit into a championship celebration before a sold-out crowd at San Francisco’s Chase Center.
By the final buzzer, Golden State had its first WNBA championship, Williams had Finals MVP honors, and the league had another unforgettable moment in women’s basketball history.
Scroll to continue reading
Gabby Williams Takes Over Game 7
For the first half, Williams looked surprisingly ordinary.
The 30-year-old forward managed just two points as Atlanta carried a 30-24 advantage into halftime.
Then somebody apparently flipped the superstar switch.
Williams scored 15 points in the third quarter, including three consecutive three-pointers that brought the Valkyries roaring back.
Golden State entered the fourth quarter ahead 45-44, setting up a dramatic finish in the first Game 7 in WNBA Finals history.
With the game tied at 57 late in the fourth, Williams buried a clutch three-pointer to give Golden State a lead it would never surrender.
She finished with 30 points, four blocks and four three-pointers, earning Finals MVP honors after one of the most memorable championship performances in league history.
“I love moments like this,” Williams said afterward, explaining that coach Natalie Nakase had encouraged her to remain patient during her slow start.
Valkyries Make WNBA History in Just Two Seasons
Most expansion franchises spend years trying to become competitive.
Golden State apparently skipped the waiting period.
The Valkyries became the first WNBA expansion franchise to reach the playoffs in its inaugural 2025 season. One year later, they were champions.
Golden State defeated Dallas in the opening round, swept defending champion Las Vegas in the semifinals and outlasted Atlanta in seven games.
Nakase built a defensive powerhouse that consistently frustrated opposing offenses.
That defense proved decisive against an Atlanta team that averaged more than 91 points during the regular season.
Golden State held the Dream below 70 points in all four of its Finals victories.
Veteran Kiah Stokes contributed 13 rebounds and two blocks in Game 7, while Tiffany Hayes scored 11 points to claim her first WNBA championship.
Point guard Veronica Burton added 10 points and sealed the victory with two free throws in the closing seconds.
Angel Reese and Atlanta Dream Fall Short
The Dream fought throughout the seven-game series but couldn’t contain Williams when it mattered most.
Jordin Canada led Atlanta with 18 points, while Allisha Gray added 16.
Angel Reese finished with eight points and 12 rebounds as Atlanta’s championship hopes slipped away.
For the Dream, the defeat marked another disappointing ending in the franchise’s pursuit of its first WNBA title.
For Golden State, however, the victory validated a remarkable team-building effort and a culture Williams embraced after arriving from Seattle.
“All it took was good people,” Williams said, crediting her teammates rather than accepting the spotlight alone.
“All we heard last year was we don’t have no stars. We don’t have no talent. Yeah right! We got good people.”
And on Halloween night, those good people became champions, with Williams delivering the performance that made it possible.
(If You Like/Appreciate This EURweb Story, Please SHARE it!)
RELATED NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: With Knee Injury, Gabby Williams Leads Valkyries Past Angel Reese, Dream in WNBA Finals Opener | WATCH
We Publish Breaking News 24/7. Don’t Miss Out! Sign up for our Free daily newsletter HERE.
