A staggering 3.3 million viewers tuned into the WNBA Finals Game 7 on Saturday night, making the Golden State Valkyries’ title-clinching victory the most-watched WNBA game since the league’s inaugural season back in 1997. If you weren’t watching, you missed a total thriller, with Natalie Nakase’s squad rallying on Halloween to secure a 68-63 win over the Atlanta Dream at San Francisco’s Chase Center. This was pure popcorn basketball, folks.
Gabby Williams Went Absolutely Nuclear for a Title
Trailing 30-24 at halftime, the Valkyries needed a serious shot in the arm. Enter Finals MVP Gabby Williams, who delivered a monumental 30-piece, including a WNBA postseason-record 28 second-half points! She absolutely powered Golden State past Angel Reese, Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, and the rest of the Dream at Ballhalla. For a nascent franchise in just its second season of existence, to go all the way and grab their first-ever league championship? That’s insane. The Dream, led by Karl Smesko, are now 0-4 in Finals appearances, with this being their first trip since 2013. You gotta feel for them, but what a moment for Golden State.
From Controversial Tip-Off to Record Viewership, This Series Had Everything
This 2026 WNBA Finals was only the second time in league history we saw a best-of-seven format, a change the league expanded to in 2024. And man, did it deliver the full experience! After the 2025 campaign ended with a Las Vegas Aces sweep of the Phoenix Mercury in four games, this year we got our first-ever Game 7, and even our first-ever Game 6. Speaking of Game 6, remember the drama around that 12:30 p.m. ET tip-off last Thursday? The Valkyries were up 3-2 on the road, and the early start was all because State Farm Arena had prior commitments, including with the NBA’s Hawks. Dream ownership even raised concerns about the whole scheduling mess. Yet, even with all that controversy, Game 6’s 80-69 Dream victory still pulled in impressive viewership, becoming the fifth most-watched WNBA Finals game on cable. This series was a true zig-zag, with Golden State taking Games 1, 4, 5, and 7, while Atlanta snagged Games 2, 3, and 6. Angel Reese, one of the sport’s biggest names, piled up four double-doubles in the Finals, which is the second most a player has ever recorded in a single WNBA Finals. But in the end, it was the well-rounded Valkyries that walked away with the crown, thanks to that unbelievable winner-take-all performance on Saturday.
What an ending to the WNBA season. That 3.3 million viewership number is a massive statement for the league, especially after a series that had everything from record-breaking performances to scheduling drama. It truly shows the WNBA’s growth and momentum heading into next year.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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