The Golden State Valkyries just snagged the 2026 WNBA title in only their second season as a franchise. Let that sink in for a second: *second season*. No team in North American professional sports has ever become champions that fast, and they did it without a single All-WNBA player, a first in league history. It is absolutely unreal.
The Unthinkable Ride to the Top
No one truly expected this kind of run. Sure, they exceeded expectations in 2025 by becoming the first expansion team to make the playoffs in their inaugural season. And yes, making Gabby Williams their marquee signing last offseason was a huge move. But title contenders? Most folks had their doubts. The decision to trade the No. 8 pick, Flau’jae Johnson, for two second-rounders raised some eyebrows, and then French center Iliana Rupert was ruled out for the season due to maternity leave, leaving their frontcourt looking mighty thin.
They even got off to a middling start, rolling at a 10-7 record by the midpoint of the season, and a concerning 3-6 against teams that eventually made the playoffs. But then everything flipped. They rattled off three critical wins against the Atlanta Dream in 11 days, sparking a nine-game winning streak that catapulted them into the top half of the standings. They stayed there, closing out the season with an incredible 22-5 run and nearly chasing down the Minnesota Lynx for the top seed. Talk about a second-half surge!
Culture. Defense. Champions.
How did they do it? Finals MVP Gabby Williams said it best: “All it took was good people. That’s it. All we heard last year, ‘We don’t have no stars, we don’t have no talent.’ Yeah right. We got good people. We got winners. We got people who are ready to put their bodies on the floor to win a game. They don’t care about scoring. They just want to play defense and rebound and do whatever it takes. We built a beautiful culture here.”
And what a defense it was. The Valkyries’ 99.1 defensive rating was more than four points per 100 possessions better than any other team in the league. They were second in opponent turnover rate at 19.2% and second in opponent true shooting at 53.5%. Williams herself made the All-Defensive First Team and finished second to Angel Reese for Defensive Player of the Year. Veronica Burton and Kiah Stokes were All-Defensive Second Team honorees. Their stifling defense, combined with incredible depth and complete buy-in from everyone, absolutely made up for an offense that could be downright disastrous at times. They did not have a single player average even 15 points per game, and their 108.2 offensive rating was seventh in the league and the second-worst among playoff teams. It just goes to show you that defense and grit can still win championships.
Now, with a WNBA title under their belt in just their second season, the Valkyries are set up for sustained success. The whispers are already starting about whether they will add a star free agent to this championship core. If they can build this kind of culture and win like this without a traditional “star,” imagine what they could do next.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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