No. 2 Golden State is pacing ahead of schedule, as the Valkyries ousted reigning champion No. 3 Las Vegas 87-77 in overtime on Friday to book a first-ever trip to the WNBA finals.
The Valkyries became the first expansion team to reach the championship in just its second year. And they pulled off a semifinal sweep behind unmatched depth.
“We’re making history,” said guard Veronica Burton. “This is unimaginable, but for us it’s so realistic. It’s what we expected and what we worked toward.”
The result guarantees the league its first debut champion since 2024. However, Golden State faces the similarly scrappy No. 4 Atlanta squad.
The Valkyries earned the WNBA’s top defensive rating this season, while second-place Atlanta posted the highest steal rate with 9.1 per game.
“We’ve all, in one way or fashion, been the underdogs,” said Golden State reserve guard Kaila Charles. “It’s just that mentality of having the chip on our shoulder, understanding that this could be taken away unless you give 110%.”
The WNBA finals tip off on Saturday at 3:30 PM ET (NBC).
