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Caitlin Clark Has Strong Reaction to Valkyries' Stunning Two-Year Rise
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- Caitlin Clark Has Strong Reaction to Valkyries' Stunning Two-Year Rise
(Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images)
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark praised the Golden State Valkyries' two-year build in a Not Gonna Lie conversation with Kylie Kelce that was recorded while Game 6 of the WNBA Finals was being played. Kelce noted during the taping that the game was in progress.
The Atlanta Dream won that game Oct. 29 to force the first Game 7 in Finals history. Two days later, Golden State beat Atlanta 68-63 at Chase Center for the franchise's first title. The episode was released Tuesday.
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Clark Praises Golden State's Rapid Rise
Clark credited Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase with getting the roster to buy in.
"The best part about this final series is that the Valkyries are in it, because they've been a franchise for two years," Clark said. "I don't think people realize how ridiculous that is, that they've been able to put together a roster and run an organization as well as they have. And for Natalie, their coach, to get everybody to buy in, to get everybody to believe."
"They have really, really, really talented players," Clark continued. "But at the same time, on any given night, any of them can have 20 points and be the star, and it seems like nobody's bothered by that. That's just how they are. They're a close-knit team. So I think that's the coolest storyline of this Finals, what Golden State's been able to do in such a short period of time, two years, and to be playing in the Finals. That's a win in itself."
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Gabby Williams was named Finals MVP. Kiah Stokes had 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks in Golden State's 64-55 win in Game 5 at Chase Center, which put the Valkyries one win from the title.
Games 3, 4, and 6 were played in Atlanta. Less than a week before the series began, the league moved Games 3 and 4 from the 3,500-seat Gateway Center, the Dream's regular-season home, to the 17,000-seat State Farm Arena.
Game 6 was later set for 12:30 p.m. ET on a Thursday, and Front Office Sports reported it drew 1.5 million viewers.
The Valkyries are the fastest expansion team in league history to win a title, the team noted after Game 7. In May, Front Office Sports noted that no WNBA expansion team had won a championship within five years of its founding.
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In 2025, Golden State became the first expansion team in league history to reach the playoffs in its inaugural season.
Clark Remembers Joe Lacob's Championship Promise
Clark remembers the promise owner Joe Lacob made the day the franchise was introduced.
"I remember their owner, when they were going through their announcement of becoming a team, he literally said on stage, 'We're going to win a championship in five years or less,'" Clark explained. "I was like, oh, manifesting at its finest. I was like, I love that. And here we are two years later. I'm like, well, do I love that? Because I'm not playing, but they are. But it's still awesome. Good for them."
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Lacob made the pledge on Oct. 5, 2023, when the WNBA awarded his group the Bay Area franchise for a $50 million expansion fee.
"I'm telling you right now, we will win a WNBA championship in the first five years of this franchise," Lacob said that day.
When Lacob hired Nakase, he gave her the same timeline. "The goal is going to be five years; you have to bring home a championship," Lacob told her, according to Front Office Sports.
He has owned the Golden State Warriors since 2010 and made a similar promise at his first Warriors news conference. The Warriors won the 2015 NBA title.
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The Associated Press reported that Lacob praised team president Jess Smith, general manager Ohemaa Nyanin, and Nakase after the title. After Game 7, Lacob credited three hires for the Valkyries' rise. Nakase said her father would give her "the head nod of approval."
Indiana's Season Ended in the First Round
Las Vegas eliminated the Fever in three games in the first round, with the deciding game on Oct. 1.
Indiana went 28-16, a franchise record for wins, and averaged 96 points per game, a league record.
