SAN FRANCISCO — Natalie Nakase is not a patient person. An obsession extremist, the coach calls herself, wanting to get to the finish line as soon as possible.
After the Golden State Valkyries outperformed every possible expectation of their expansion season, becoming the first team to make the playoffs in its debut year, Nakase was ticked. She wanted to win the title in 2025, despite fielding a roster of mostly expansion draft pick-ups.
Nakase and Golden State wouldn't have to wait much longer, not with the combination of Nakase and owner Joe Lacob — who guaranteed that the Valkyries would win a title within their first five seasons, before the team had a name or a single player.
Two years into their existence, the Valkyries are champions . And the bad news for the rest of the league is that Golden State isn't going anywhere.
This is the infancy of the WNBA's newest powerhouse. The Valkyries are built to last.
They have an honest-to-goodness superstar only beginning to scratch the surface of her power in Gabby Williams. At 30, Williams is squarely within her prime and she has fewer miles on her legs because she hasn't played year-long seasons like many of her peers; from 2021 to 2024, Williams missed the equivalent of 2.5 WNBA seasons while suiting up internationally.
Williams was an All-Star starter in 2026 for the first time, and her playoff run proved that she can reach a different level than anyone else on the court. Williams dueled with A'ja Wilson and came out on top, leading Golden State to a sweep of the defending champions in the semifinals. She upped the ante in the finals, leading the Valkyries to a comeback win in Game 1 and repeating the script in Game 7 with a WNBA playoff record 28 second-half points.
"Gabby is our closer," Nakase said. "Closing with 30, I mean, that's f—ing incredible, that is incredible. And then, to me, the MVP is the Finals MVP. That means you gotta play through the playoffs, you gotta grind. You gotta go through a seven-game series. She's the most valuable player in the world, hands down."
It takes a true alpha to carry a championship team; even if Williams hadn't proven herself as one in the WNBA prior to this season, she has done so now. The rest of the Valkyries follow her lead.
Veronica Burton is only 26 and already one of the finer two-way point guards in the WNBA. She grew into herself as the postseason wore on, closing out the Dream in the critical Game 4 victory and hitting the championship-sealing free throws in Game 7. She is under contract for the next two seasons alongside Williams.
Golden State also has Game 7 starters Kiah Stokes and Kaila Charles signed through 2027 along with Janelle Salaün and Justė Jocytė; Jocytė didn't factor into the finals, but the rookie is a big guard with significant upside, and only 20 years old.
Tiffany Hayes' future is up in the air, as the 37-year-old may pursue retirement (for good this time), but the Valkyries have the opportunity to upgrade at shooting guard and power forward with their cap space. Golden State could use further offensive punch to make itself more bulletproof in a repeat bid. A finals' scoring average of 67.4 points and a shooting percentage that didn't crack 40 percent in these seven games leaves some room for improvement.
It just so happens that the best free agents in the WNBA play those two positions: Napheesa Collier, Kelsey Mitchell, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young. It isn't common for players who have never won a title to join the reigning champions. But if Candace Parker signed with the Las Vegas Aces in 2023, it wouldn't be unreasonable for Plum and Young to head to Golden State, especially since both have prior relationships with Nakase.
Nakase is at the heart of the Valkyries' dynastic potential. She began in the WNBA in Las Vegas, helping the Aces become the first team to go back-to-back since the 2001-02 Los Angeles Sparks and is now regarded in her own right as one of the best head coaches alive. She won Coach of the Year as a rookie and took another step forward in her second season.
Golden State jumped from 10th in offensive rating in 2025 to seventh this season, even as the league expanded from 13 to 15 teams. The Valkyries also rose from third in defensive rating to first. There is already proof of concept of this franchise's ability to develop, and in short order.
There is also an infrastructure in place that rivals any other team in the league. As Tiffany Hayes said on the floor during the championship celebration, when you invest in women's sports, this is what happens. Lacob ensured that Golden State would have a state-of-the-art practice facility and a full-size arena to play in from the moment the team debuted. The organization sells out Chase Center, rakes in revenue, and then puts the money back into the roster. When Nakase lamented her ability to keep her players healthy at the end of 2025, the Valkyries reinvested in their medical staff. According to The IX Basketball's database, Golden State had the fewest games (93) missed due to the injury in 2026.
Nakase's willingness to use every player on her roster kept them fresh for the longest season in league history; as the calendar continues to extend, the Valkyries' depth is a meaningful advantage. A team that uses its full squad from 1-14 will have an easier time recruiting free agents because they know there are roles to be filled.
Golden State's front office has scoured the globe for players who can make an impact. Salaün was an undrafted free agent who turned into the Sixth Player of the Year. Kaitlyn Chen was a third-round pick who served as a suitable backup point guard. Aminata Gueye joined the team on Sept. 20, four days before the end of the regular season, and swung a playoff game against Las Vegas. The Valkyries will always be able to retool with their scouting department (even if they whiffed on a first-round draft pick in 2026).
And then there is the glow of playing in Ballhalla. Golden State absolutely nailed its branding and has created an inviting fan culture that players want to experience. Stokes left a title-winning team for the upstart franchise. Williams sought out the Valkyries and felt invincible with all of the support coming her way.
"I'm driving to the game, I'm stressed, nervous, I see a Valkyries Waymo, I see a billboard, I see buildings lit up in purple and I see 'Go Valks' everywhere, and all I'm thinking is, I can't lose," Williams said. "This is the community I want to play for."
With the personnel, the coaching staff, the strength of the business and fan base, there are so many reasons to bet on the sustained success of Golden State. The Valkyries have only just arrived, and they're already out-executing the legacy franchises in the WNBA. They're the future of the league, and it's a scary proposition for everyone trying to catch up.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic .
Golden State Valkyries, WNBA, Sports Business, WNBA Finals, WNBA Highlights
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