NFL
By: Ashmere Prasad
The Golden State Valkyries had their eyes set on a deep playoff run since training camp. On Friday evening, they swept the Aces in overtime, embraced one another, and celebrated as one of their goals came true.
Last year, the Valkyries shocked the league by becoming the first expansion team to reach the playoffs. They unfortunately lost both games and were eliminated by the Minnesota Lynx. But the Valkyries knew they had built a strong foundation, and this was literally just the beginning.
In April, Golden State signed Gabby Williams and Kiah Stokes to multi-year contracts. Williams was the defensive piece they were missing, and Stokes brought veteran knowledge and depth. Williams was thrilled to join a franchise that believed in her. At her first press conference, head coach Natalie Nakase, general manager Ohemma Nyanin, and Williams sat at the podium, tears in their eyes, laughing like long-lost best friends.
The Valkyries weren’t planning to simply make the playoffs. They wanted to be a top five team in the league and have the best defense in the WNBA. Check, check. Now they’re on their way to their first WNBA Finals as a second-year team.
Connection, Chemistry and Confidence
The Valkyries have played with their own aura the entire season. Their mentality has always been to rely on one another and play solid defense to take down their opponents. Week after week, All-Star players would arrive at Ballhalla ready to battle, only to fall short and feel disappointed.
A moment that stands out is the New York Liberty postgame press conference in June. The Valkyries’ defense held them to a season-low 67 points. Eight-time All-Star Breanna Stewart commented on Golden State’s connectivity. “That’s why they’re one of the top defenses in the league. They have that chemistry and that belief they can do it.” Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu sat at the table, displeased by their performance on the floor.
This was a common occurrence in Ballhalla.
The Valkyries’ identity has always been to stay connected and play a full four quarters of defense. Empty the tank is Nakase’s famous phrase of the season. Some games were better than others, but through the last two playoff series, this team has grown immensely. Stokes was the MVP against her former team on both ends of the floor, constantly disrupting A’ja Wilson, the 5x MVP, from taking over.
With their backs against the wall in Game 3 against the Dallas Wings, Veronica Burton led the team to take a collective deep breath that eventually went viral. That moment was one of the best examples of how connected the Golden State Valkyries are at this point in the season.
Williams joked that they’d have a lot of bandwagon fans after their success. “We didn’t get no love all season. Honestly, nobody believed in us, but it honestly made us smile. All we needed was each other; we just needed to believe in each other. The culture, going to work every day, we just felt that we had something worth fighting for.”
The franchise’s quick evolution started with the front office and the high expectations owner Joe Lacob set last season. Lacob tasked Nakase with winning a championship within the first five years, and they are now four games away from the trophy.
The Valkyries last faced the Atlanta Dream in July and closed out the series 3-0. These two teams are very different from those matchups, as the Dream added DeWanna Bonner in August and also swept their semifinal opponent, the New York Liberty. Both teams now have eight days to rest and prepare for their chance to bring the trophy home for the first time in each franchise’s history.
