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Reese and Williams Lead WNBA Finals
Confirmed
In Short: The Finals will be a battle of two top players, with Williams and Reese leading their teams in a matchup that could determine the league's champion.
The WNBA Finals tip off Saturday night with the Atlanta Dream facing the Golden State Valkyries in a matchup that few experts predicted at the start of the season.
Both Angel Reese and Gabby Williams have been standout performers throughout the playoffs, with Williams scoring a career-high 36 points in Game 2 and Reese averaging 18.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, 2.0 assists, and 1.6 steals in the postseason.
Reese, the league's Defensive Player of the Year, has been a pivotal force on both ends of the court, while Williams has excelled with her versatility, shooting, and defensive prowess.
Williams, a two-time All-Star and runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year, scored 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a recent game, showcasing her offensive capabilities.
In Game 2, Williams' off-balance corner 3-pointer tied the game with 4.1 seconds left, but she missed all six of her shots in the final 1:31 of overtime.
Reese's impact on the Dream's success is undeniable, as the team has not lost a single game this postseason, riding a 10-game unbeaten streak into the Finals.
Williams' performance in the semifinals against Germany included 22 points, five rebounds, five assists, and four steals, positioning her as a potential MVP candidate.
The Valkyries, in just their second season, have reached the Finals with a 32-12 regular-season record, holding home-court advantage for the rest of the postseason.
The Dream, chasing their first championship, have lost in the Finals three times in four years from 2010-13.
Both teams have depth and talent, with the Valkyries adding players to their rankings and the Dream boasting a versatile roster.
The Valkyries and Dream have both shown resilience and skill throughout the playoffs, setting the stage for an exciting and competitive Finals series.
What this adds
The Valkyries' home-court advantage and the Dream's historic run to the Finals add another layer of intrigue to the matchup.
Background
The WNBA Finals begin with the Atlanta Dream's Angel Reese and the Golden State Valkyries' Gabby Williams leading their teams.
What's confirmed
- “It’s maybe going to be a game where good defense leads to good offense.” Atlanta is chasing the first championship in franchise history after losing in the Finals three times in four years from 2010-13.
- Williams scored a career-high 36 points, regular season or playoffs, but missed all six of her shots in the final 1:31 of overtime to finish 12 of 23 from the field.
- With the stage set for the 2026 WNBA Finals, the WNBA Showtime crew takes a look at how the Atlanta Dream will fare against the Golden State Valkyries.
- But, after being eliminated in the 2025 first round, Atlanta hasn't lost a single game this postseason, riding a streak of 10 games unbeaten into the franchise's first Finals appearance since 2013.
What's still developing
- Forward | 6-foot-3 Playoff stats: 18.0 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 2.0 APG The 2024 No. 7 draft pick is playing the best ball of her career and was recently named the league's Defensive Player of the Year.
- She still excels with her versatility, whether she's making 3s, getting downhill and drawing contact, facilitating for teammates or wreaking havoc on defense. -- Philippou Guard | 5-foot-6 Playoff stats: 19.2 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 8.8 APG Canada, the No. 5 pick in the 2018 draft, won two WNBA titles in 2018 and 2020 with Seattle.
- Hayes scored 21 points in less than 17 minutes in the Game 2 semifinal against Las Vegas. -- Copeland Center | 6-foot-3 Playoff stats: 3.2 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 2.0 BPG One of the ultimate "stats don't define her" players, Stokes' value is in how well she fills the exact role she's asked to play.
- The Americans were pushed to the limit in that game and escaped with a one-point win when Gabby Williams ' shot at the buzzer went in, but was ruled a two-pointer because her foot was on the line.
- Other French standouts include New York Liberty guard Marine Johannès, Connecticut Sun guard Leïla Lacan and Williams' Golden State Valkyries teammate Janelle Salaün.
- Gabby Williams, who dueled Ogunbowale in Game 2, also showed she had more to give.
- Williams then went to work, scoring 11 of her 19 points in the final frame, including the go-ahead middie with with less than 90 seconds remaining, to ultimately set up Golden State for the 77-73 Game 3 victory and the franchise’s first-ever series win.
- “It’s crazy,” Burton told NBC after the final buzzer.
- There will be a first-time WNBA champion this season.
- Watch NBC Bay Area News free wherever you are In a historic feat, the Valkyries have reached the Finals in just their second season as a franchise.
- With 13.1 seconds left and Golden State leading by one, Williams jumped back inbounds to corral her own miss on a play that was originally ruled Dallas' ball, but Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase — who moments earlier had fallen to her knees on the sideline before being helped up — successfully challenged the call.
- Burton's layup with 8:19 to play pulled the Valkyries within 61-59, Williams hit two 3-pointers late in the third and they both willed Golden State into the best-of-five semifinals against the defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces.