The 2026 WNBA Finals are about to drop some serious history, no matter which team hoists the trophy. Our very own Jordin Canada is on the brink of becoming a three-time champ with the Atlanta Dream, while Kiah Stokes and the Golden State Valkyries are ready to rewrite the record books for expansion teams. This best-of-seven series, kicking off Saturday, Oct. 17 in San Francisco, isn’t just about a ring; it’s about cementing legacies and breaking droughts that have hung over cities for decades.
First-Time Champs And Record-Breaking Ascents
Heading into Saturday, this series is already legendary because both the Atlanta Dream and the Golden State Valkyries are fighting for their very first franchise title. Think about that for a second: a completely fresh chapter for whichever city claims it. If the Valkyries pull this off, they’re not just winning; they’re setting a new WNBA record for the fastest climb to Finals glory by an expansion team. That’s a wild run! On the flip side, if the Dream snag the title, they’d wipe out an 18-season championship-less stretch, which is the longest title drought among any current WNBA city. Eighteen seasons is no joke, man. And get this: former Dream star Tiffany Hayes is now on the Valkyries. Talk about drama, right?
Individual Legacies, Three-Peats, and Our Seattle Storm Connection
But it’s not just about the teams; the players are chasing some serious hardware that will define their careers. DeWanna Bonner, for the Dream, is on a mission for her third championship. This goal was a huge reason she signed with Atlanta after her buyout from the Phoenix Mercury, where she won two titles in 2009 and 2014. Imagine closing out your career like that!
And then there’s our girl, Jordin Canada. A Dream win would mean her *third* championship ring! We remember those first two, right? She earned them in 2018 and 2020 during her legendary days with our Seattle Storm. Seeing her add another one to her collection would be huge for the Emerald City. Her Dream teammates Shatori Walker-Kimbrough and LaToya Sanders, who’s now an assistant coach, are also eyeing a second title, having won one with the 2019 Washington Mystics.
Over on the Valkyries side, Kiah Stokes is looking to jump into some super rarified air. If Golden State takes it, Stokes would grab her *fourth* championship, making her only the 10th player in WNBA history to hit that mark. She might have been the “shakiest member” of the championship-winning starting five during her time with the Aces, but with the Valkyries, she’s become absolutely foundational to their Finals chances. Chelsea Gray is right there with her, already a three-time champ with the Aces in 2022, 2023, and 2025, plus a 2016 title with the Los Angeles Sparks. Kayla Thornton would snag her second title with a Valkyries win, adding to her 2024 trophy with the New York Liberty. Even Iliana Rupert, who’s out for the season but was part of the 2022 Aces squad with Stokes, would get her second ring.
We’ve seen that kind of four-title legacy before, especially with our own Sue Bird, who collected a quartet of trophies with the Seattle Storm in 2004 and 2020. The legendary Houston Comets trio of Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes, and Tina Thompson pulled off four straight when the league kicked off, and the Minnesota Lynx core with Maya Moore, Seimone Augustus, and Lindsay Whalen did it four times in the 2010s. But the GOAT for rings is Rebekah Brunson, who stands alone with five titles, including one with the 2005 Sacramento Monarchs. If Stokes gets her fourth, she’d be the closest thing we’ve seen to a “2020s Brunson” in terms of a star-in-her-role player. This is also a battle of college hoops bragging rights, with the Valkyries stacked with former UConn Huskies and the Dream featuring a bunch of South Carolina Gamecocks.
So, get ready! The WNBA Finals tip off this Saturday, Oct. 17, from San Francisco. History is absolutely guaranteed. Whether it’s Jordin Canada cementing her legacy with a third ring and making the Emerald City proud, or Kiah Stokes joining the four-title club, this series is going to be unforgettable. You don’t want to miss a single second!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Swish Appeal.
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