Gabby Williams Scores 30 to Give Valkyries Historic WNBA Title
The expansion team defeated the Atlanta Dream 68-63 in Game 7, becoming the first champion without an All-WNBA player on its roster.
By Luka Evans ·
Golden State Valkyries guard Gabby Williams scored 30 points on Saturday to lead her team to a 68-63 victory over the Atlanta Dream in Game 7 of the WNBA Finals. The win at Ballhalla in San Francisco secured the franchise's first championship in its history.
Williams scored 28 of her 30 points in the second half of the game. That total marks the highest point total for any single half in a WNBA postseason game. Her 30 points also tie the record for the most points scored by a player in a winner-take-all Finals game.
The Valkyries are the third team in the combined history of the NBA, BAA, and WNBA to win a title within their first two seasons. Elias Sports Bureau noted that Golden State is the first team to win a championship without a single All-WNBA selection on its roster that season.
Coach Natalie Nakase identified Williams as the team's closer. Nakase stated that Williams is the most valuable player in the world because she played through the entire playoffs and went through a seven-game series. Owner Joe Lacob added that Williams has been everything and more, describing her as a tremendous person and an incredible player.
Williams finished the game shooting 10-for-23 from the floor, including 4-for-8 from three-point range and 6-for-6 from the free throw line. She also recorded four blocks, three rebounds, two steals, and two assists. As the primary defender, she limited the Dream to a 2-for-9 shooting clip in that matchup.
The game remained tight through the first half, with Atlanta holding a 30-24 lead at the break. Williams had scored only two points by that time. She found her rhythm in the third quarter, outscoring the Dream 15-14 in that period. She then scored 15 consecutive points spanning the third and fourth quarters.
According to Elias, Williams became the first player in WNBA history to score 15 consecutive points in a Finals game. Her scoring run included three three-pointers on consecutive Golden State possessions. Dream point guard Jordin Canada said that Williams getting hot from the three-point line shifted the energy of the game for the Valkyries.
Golden State defense limited Atlanta to a 33% field goal percentage for the game. The Dream shot 20% from beyond the arc. After Williams' scoring spurt, the Valkyries did not trail again. She hit her fourth three-pointer with 2:18 remaining to put Golden State ahead for good.
Kiah Stokes, who won a national championship with Williams at UConn in 2015, said Williams showed who she really is on a do-or-die night. Stokes noted that Williams had been the team's leader and offense all season and showed up when it mattered most.
Williams became a local favorite during the trophy ceremony. She asked the crowd what her new favorite word was, following a previous call and response with fans about the word b. The crowd replied that her new favorite word is now champ.
