Kiah Stokes, a two-time WNBA champ, is back in the Finals, and if you’re wondering how a player averaging less than a bucket a game for her career gets there, she’s got a message for you: defense is everything. The veteran center feels completely validated as the 2026 WNBA Finals are here, and it’s all about the D. The No. 2 seeded Golden State Valkyries rolled through the league all year with a 99.1 defensive rating, which is honestly just absurd. In a season absolutely packed with historic offenses, the gap between this second-year expansion squad and everyone else is believed to be the largest ever. That’s a wild stat, right? But the No. 4 Atlanta Dream, the league’s second-best defense in 2026, are standing in their way, having turned up their tenacity since a trip to Boca Raton during the FIBA World Cup break. This championship is going to defense.
Defense Isn’t Just a Talking Point, It’s The Entire Game Plan
Stokes herself put it perfectly before practice on Friday: “It is just incredible. It just shows that all those quotes, and now it’s like we’re just kind of living that moment.” And she’s not alone in that sentiment. Gabby Williams, the Valkyries’ signature free agent signing and an eight-year veteran, just watched her first WNBA Finals appearance after watching the semifinals press conferences. She noted that New York Liberty veteran Breanna Stewart used the same old cliché about defense winning championships, but as a lament, not a triumph. Stewart didn’t mince words about where her team fell short, saying, “Like people say, ‘defense wins championships.’ It’s f***ing true.” You can’t argue with that when you look at the six WNBA All-Defense first- and second-team selections playing in these Finals. Atlanta boasts Angel Reese, who won Defensive Player of the Year, plus Rhyne Howard on first team and Jordin Canada on second. Golden State counters with Williams, who was DPOY runner-up, Veronica Burton, and of course, Stokes herself.
High-Flying Offenses Got Left Behind
This season, the Indiana Fever and Minnesota Lynx were setting offensive records left and right. The Fever were dropping 96 points per game and rocking a 115 offensive rating, with Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlin Clark putting up a combined 47 points per game. The Lynx were right there with them for most of the season, even with Olivia Miles finishing second in MVP voting as a rookie. But guess what? Neither team is playing deep into October. Both had first-round exits to the Aces and Liberty, respectively. And the Aces and Liberty? They got swept out of the semifinals by these very same Valkyries and Dream. Williams hit the nail on the head: “Things get stickier in the playoffs. For some reason, a lid is going to be on the basket at some point. Things are just tighter, things are more physical, so you can’t rely on offense because you can’t necessarily control shots going in or not… But effort can be controlled way more on the defensive end.” It’s clear: these teams staked their claim to a historic Finals berth because they brought the defensive effort, and that’s what they’re riding to a title.
The Valkyries are only in their second year of existence, and team owner Joe Lacob has set a goal of winning a title in the first five years. The Dream are in their fourth Finals, but their first since 2013, still searching for that first championship since joining the league as an expansion franchise back in 2008. Gabby Williams, the day before her first WNBA Finals, was literally rapping her knuckles on a table for luck, hoping shots go in. Especially that last one in what could be a super tight series. The Valkyries have made defense their absolute staple since day one, and it’s what’s going to decide everything. Get ready, because this is going to be a defensive slugfest for the ages!
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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