For the first time since way back in 2022, the WNBA is about to crown a brand new champion. This Friday night, the Atlanta Dream and the Golden State Valkyries are kicking off their best-of-seven championship series, and you know the Chase Center in Golden State is gonna be absolutely rocking. That “Ballhalla factor” crowd, along with the Valkyries’ stacked depth, has a lot of folks saying Golden State is destined to hoist the trophy.
The “Experts” Have Spoken, But Are They Right?
ESPN’s got their experts, right? And guess what? Three out of four of them are all-in on the Valkyries to win the 2026 WNBA Finals. Kendra Andrews, Alexa Philippou, and Michael Voepel are all picking Golden State in what’s expected to be a grueling, long series. Andrews and Voepel are even calling for a full seven games, while Philippou thinks the Valkyries will get it done in six. Voepel laid out his reasoning, saying these two teams truly look like the best in the league after five months of intense play, with both coaches showing impressive preparation. But for him, it comes down to Golden State’s depth and that home-court advantage. You gotta admit, the Valkyries are looking strong, rolling into the Finals with a 5-1 playoff record and a historically good defense that lets them play up to 11 players deep thanks to some smart roster management. But hold up, is anyone *really* convinced Golden State has been playing better basketball than Atlanta? I’m not so sure.
Angel Reese and the Dream Are Coming For It All
Here’s where it gets interesting. Atlanta isn’t just good, they’re on fire. The Dream are a perfect 5-0 in the postseason and have won ten straight games dating all the way back to August 30th. Talk about momentum! And if that wasn’t enough, All-Star guard Allisha Gray is set to return from a hand injury. She’s a key cog in their offense, which, by the way, is the best Golden State will have seen in these playoffs. But the real story? Angel Reese. Her reputation as a premium playoff performer just keeps growing with every single win. We saw her contributions on both ends of the court as Atlanta basically squeezed past the New York Liberty in Games 2 and 3 of the semifinals, completing a sweep of the 2024 champions. And while Golden State’s defense is imposing, let’s not forget the Dream has the *actual* Defensive Player of the Year anchoring their squad. So, call me crazy, but by picking against Angel Reese three times over, ESPN might have just given her all the ammunition she needs to go out there and absolutely light it up. As Cheryl Miller put it on NBC’s WNBA Finals media call, “There will be no sweeps.” She’s right, this is going to be a battle.
The championship series tips off Friday night. Get ready, because this is going to be a barn burner, and the Dream, fueled by that ESPN slight, are coming to play for keeps.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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