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Candace Parker, Aliyah Boston Break Down Kiah Stokes’ Record-Breaking WNBA Finals
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- Candace Parker, Aliyah Boston Break Down Kiah Stokes’ Record-Breaking WNBA Finals
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
Kiah Stokes blocked 19 shots in the 2026 WNBA Finals, a record for a Finals series, and won her fourth championship in five seasons when the Golden State Valkyries closed out Atlanta on Oct. 31 at Chase Center.
Candace Parker and Aliyah Boston went through Stokes' series on Episode 54 of Post Moves . Stokes won titles with the Las Vegas Aces in 2022, 2023, and 2025 before signing with Golden State on April 13.
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Parker pointed to Stokes' history with Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase, who was an Aces assistant when Stokes played in Las Vegas.
"Been a champion," Parker said. "Still is a champion. Won a championship last year. She was like, oh, I'm with Vegas. I'm going to go to the Bay. I'm going to go to Golden State and win another one. Championship followed her."
"And Kiah anchoring the defense the entire series," Parker continued. "19 blocks in the WNBA Finals. Her fourth championship in five years. So she's had five offseasons. Four of those have ended in a championship. Let's put that in perspective."
Stokes Broke a Record Shared by Fowles and Griner
Sylvia Fowles and Brittney Griner had shared the Finals series record of 12 blocks. Stokes passed it in Game 4, a 67-62 win at State Farm Arena that gave her 14.
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She had three more in Game 5. Through five games of the series, she had 17.
By Game 4, Stokes had reached three blocks seven times this postseason, more than any player in a single postseason. Her six straight games with three or more tied a WNBA record set by Lisa Leslie in 2003.
The Valkyries set a league record with 37 blocks in a single series.
Game 5 went beyond the blocks. Stokes made 3 of 4 attempts from 3-point range and finished with 13 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks in a 64-55 win.
"I will say, though, in game five, when she hit those threes, that changed the entire thing for them," Boston said. "She was sniping. Now you're actually getting contests. Giving your team different people to be able to get second chance points because you're bringing the bigs out."
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Angel Reese scored seven points on 2-of-8 shooting with Stokes guarding her in Game 5. Nakase called Stokes the Valkyries' most valuable player after the game, and the Chase Center crowd chanted "MVP."
Stokes Signed With Golden State to Reunite With Nakase
Nakase spent three seasons as an assistant in Las Vegas while Stokes was there. Stokes and Valkyries guard Tiffany Hayes also overlapped for one season at UConn, in 2011-12. Stokes has said Nakase was a major reason she signed with the Valkyries.
Before the Finals, Golden State swept Las Vegas in the semifinals. Stokes held A'ja Wilson below her league-leading season averages in points and rebounds in all three games.
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Stokes explained the mindset behind her Finals defense after Game 4. Nakase, after the clincher, said her father would give her "the head nod of approval."
Stokes, an 11th-year veteran, won three NCAA titles at UConn from 2013 to 2015. She also won the 2023 EuroLeague title with Fenerbahçe in Turkey.
Gabby Williams, not Stokes, was named Finals MVP after scoring 30 points in Game 7.
Stokes blocked at least three shots in each of the first five games of the series.
