The Golden State Valkyries won the WNBA championship on Oct. 31 with a 68-63 win over the Atlanta Dream in Game 7, and Gabby Williams, who scored 28 of her 30 points after halftime, was named Finals MVP, ESPN reported.
The Golden State Valkyries WNBA championship came in the franchise’s second season. Atlanta led 30-24 at halftime, which means Golden State outscored the Dream 44-33 in the second half, and Williams scored 28 of those 44 points, or 64%, a calculation from the box score numbers.
How Gabby Williams Closed Game 7
Williams scored two points in the first half, then 28 in the second. Her 30 points tied the record for most points in a winner-take-all WNBA Finals game, and her 28 second-half points set a postseason record for a single half, ESPN reported. She made 10 of 23 shots, including four of eight from three-point range, and added four blocks, two steals and two assists.
Her fourth three-pointer came with 2:18 left and gave Golden State a lead it kept. The Dream shot 33% from the field and 20% from three-point range. Coach Natalie Nakase said of Williams, “Gabby is our closer.” Williams, speaking about the team’s resilience, said “All it took was good people,” according to the Associated Press recap on the league’s website.
What the Valkyries Did to Reach a Title
Golden State became the first team to win a WNBA championship without an All-WNBA selection that season, ESPN reported. It also fell behind 2-1 in the series, according to the Associated Press. The franchise was the first expansion organization to reach the playoffs in its inaugural year, in 2025, the Associated Press said. Atlanta’s Jordin Canada scored 18 points in Game 7 and Allisha Gray scored 16, so the Dream got scoring from more than one player and still lost. Williams credited the team’s culture for the result, ESPN reported.
The Rest of the Game 7 Box Score
Atlanta’s Angel Reese had eight points and 12 rebounds. Golden State’s Kiah Stokes had 13 rebounds and two blocks, and Tiffany Hayes scored 11 points. Atlanta’s DeWanna Bonner became the first player in WNBA history to reach 600 career postseason defensive rebounds, according to the Associated Press recap on the league’s website. ESPN put the crowd at 18,000.
What Williams’s Night Meant for the Score
Williams’s 30 points equal 44% of Golden State’s 68, a calculation from the final score. Her 28 second-half points came in a half the Valkyries won by 11, which means the margin between the two teams after halftime was smaller than Williams’s own output.
