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WNBA Finals: Dream's Angel Reese and Valkyries' Gabby Williams Lead the Charge
Confirmed
In Short: The WNBA Finals begin with the Atlanta Dream's Angel Reese and the Golden State Valkyries' Gabby Williams leading their teams.
The WNBA Finals tip off Saturday night with the Atlanta Dream facing the Golden State Valkyries in a matchup that few expected at the start of the season.
Forward Angel Reese, the 2024 No. 7 draft pick, has been named the league's Defensive Player of the Year and is playing the best ball of her career.
Guard Gabby Williams, a two-time All-Star, has also raised her game in the postseason, scoring a career-high 36 points in a recent game.
Reese's impact on both ends of the court is pivotal, averaging 18.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, 2.0 assists, and 1.6 steals in the playoffs.
Williams' versatility has been on full display, contributing 19.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 8.8 assists in the postseason.
Both players have moved up the rankings, with Williams finishing second in Defensive Player of the Year voting behind Reese.
The Dream are in the Finals for the first time since 2013, riding a 10-game unbeaten streak into the matchup.
The Valkyries, in just their second season, have reached the Finals, holding home-court advantage for the rest of the postseason.
"We’re the top two in the league," said Thornton of the Valkyries, suggesting that good defense could be the key to victory.
"It’s maybe going to be a game where good defense leads to good offense," added a Dream player, highlighting the defensive focus of both teams.
What this adds
Both teams have shown resilience and skill, with Williams and Reese leading the charge for their respective teams.
What's confirmed
- 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
- 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.
- She is shooting 40.5% from 3 on 2.8 attempts (fourth in the playoffs, and the most among players in the Finals).
- The four-time All-Star's off-balance corner 3 for a 93-93 tie with 4.1 seconds left in Game 2 was followed by Gabby Williams getting called for an offensive foul on the inbound play after a Golden State timeout.
- 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.
- Against the hosts Germany in the semifinals on Saturday, Williams put up 22 points, five rebounds, five assists and four steals to continue a stellar tournament that has her in line to potentially win MVP regardless of Sunday's result.
- 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.
- Back in 2016, when Joe Lacob infamously declared his Golden State empire was “light-years ahead” of everyone else, the basketball world chuckled, rolled its eyes, and waited patiently to turn that quote into a meme whenever a Warriors draft pick busted and the dynasty eventually faded.
- While the Valkyries are seeking their second playoff series win and first WNBA Finals appearance in their second season in the league, the Aces are in the Semifinals for an eighth straight year, seeking their fifth Finals appearance and fourth title in that span.