All images and videos courtesy of 8Asians
Coach Natalie Nakase of the Golden State Valkyries and player Kaitlyn Chen made history on Saturday by winning the WNBA championship in a first ever do-or-die Game 7. In a nail-biter, the Valkyries defeated the Atlanta Dream 68 to 63, making Nakase the first Asian American coach to win a WNBA championship. You can watch the game highlights here.
Gabby Williams was named Finals MVP after averaging 19.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.6 steals in the series. She recorded 30 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 4 blocks in Game 7. She scored 28 of her 30 points in the second half – the most points scored in a half in WNBA playoff history.
Chen is the first Taiwanese American WNBA player to win a championship. This is a seminal moment for not only women’s sports and the WNBA but for Asian Americans and Asian American women in professional sports!
Winning a championship is incredible, but to do so in the second season of a team’s existence is truly amazing – the quickest ever since the first season of the WNBA began in 1997. The Golden State Valkyries was the first expansion team to ever make the playoffs in their first season. Coincidentally, the Atlanta Dream were became an expansion team in 2008. Additionally, the Valkyries is the only team ever to win without having any All WNBA players on their roster.
Golden State Valkyries
As soon as it was announced that the San Francisco was going to have a WNBA expansion team I *knew* it was going to be successful. It boggled my mind that this was the first expansion team since 2008. I later learned that Valkyries owner Joe Lacob had actually invested in the brief and now defunct San Jose Lasers, a women’s professional basketball team (part of the American Basketball League (ABL) from 1996 until 1998 (and lost $10 million). Lacob believed women’s basketball was the next big thing and wanted to show his daughters that women’s sports matter.
Valkyries’ 2026 WNBA Finals Trophy Ceremony
After the Valkyries won the championship, there was the trophy ceremony, which you can watch here. Owner Joe Lacob, as well as Coach Nakase and the Finals MVP, Gabby Williams spoke. Lacob gave all the credit to the women he hired during the trophy ceremony:
- Jess Smith (Team President) -hired from Angel City FC to head the business side
- Ohemaa Nyanin (General Manager) – hired from the New York Liberty to construct the roster and oversee all basketball operations.
- Natalie Nakase (Head Coach) – hired as a first-time head coach
He set a goal of winning a championship within 5 years. Obviously his team exceeded his expectations!
“Lacob is immensely proud of President Jess Smith, general manager Ohemaa Nyanin and Nakase. Lacob promised three years ago, when the Bay Area was granted an expansion franchise, that his team would win a championship within five years.
But in Year 2, is that amazing to him?
“Of course it is, what do you say? Two years, it’s insane,” he said. “It’s just a lot of good decisions, a lot of good execution, a great coach. I said it when I got up there, I really want to give the credit to those three women. I give myself credit for hiring them, but other than that, they did it. They were all spectacular in their jobs; they deserve it.”
After finishing her postgame interview on the podium, Nakase took a moment to thank the media members one by one with a handshake, a show of class.
“I didn’t score one basket,” she said. “Thank you, I appreciate it. Without you guys, we wouldn’t be (here).”
That’s the kind of attention to detail Lacob loved from the moment he met her over a late breakfast in Las Vegas two years ago and knew Nakase was the best choice as coach.
Then Nakase went out determined to bring home a title well sooner than what Lacob had declared.
“I’m impatient. I’m obsessive but it’s because he pushes me,” she said. “He pushes me. He leads. He says, ‘Look, we’re going to take care of and we are going to get all the resources you want,’ and so that’s what I’m saying, is someone who invests in women’s sports, this is a result.””
During the press conference, Coach Nakase was appreciative of all the support – especially by the incredible fans as well as the press.
After the press conference was over, Nakase stuck around to thank and shake reporters hands (which I got to!) – she really felt that the press has really helped propel the Valkyries’ success.
The San Francisco Bay Area & Ballhalla
It’s only fitting also that the San Francisco Bay Area with the largest concentration (as a percentage of the population) of Asian Americans community in the continental United States to not only have the first WNBA Asian-American coach in a Japanese American like Nakase, but also its first Taiwanese American player – as Jeremy Lin was the first Taiwanese American NBA player who was first drafted and played for the Golden State Warriors in 2010–11. He later won an NBA championship when he was with the Toronto Raptors in 2019.
I was able to attend the Golden State Valkyries first game ever along with the first playoff game in its first season, as well as this year’s Finals Game 2 as well as Saturday’s Game 7 it’s been a real honor and pleasure to see the amazing ascent of this expansion team and to achieve such great heights in such a short amount of time and cover them here on 8Asians.
Having attended many Golden State Warriors games in the past (even during their peak championship years) the one thing that really stands out to me are the Valkyries’ fans. The fan base is just amazing, full of genuine fans, not attendees who can afford the tickets. Ballhalla is the famous nickname the Valkyries call the home court and their fan community – a blend of “basketball” and Valhalla (the Norse mythological hall of slain warriors). It’s especially touching to see a lot of moms (as well as dads) along with their daughters (as well as sons) attending the games. Chase Center is loud, if not louder, than Warriors games (especially these days when the Warriors are not at their peak …).
Kaitlyn Chen
Mid-season, Chen was making her case with her stats to be one of the most improved players in the WNBA – her post-Valkyries overseas play as well as her training really paid off. By the end of the season and with winning a national championship, the Valkyries press room made their own case (as well as with their other players):
“Kaitlyn Chen didn’t make the Valkyries inaugural roster and when she did make her way onto the team, she wasn’t in the rotation as a rookie. Fast forward to her sophomore season and she is one of the WNBA’s most efficient reserves, putting her in the conversation for the league’s Most Improved Player award. Chen more than tripled her scoring average year-over-year, averaging 6.9 points per game compared to just 2.0 points per game last season. Her shooting splits also improved, with her field-goal percentage rising by 14%. Chen is one of six players league-wide with at least 200 shot attempts shooting over 50% from the field and 40% from three (A’ja Wilson, Sarah Ashlee Barker, Aaliyah Edwards, Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston).
“Kaitlyn Chen is the kind of player that every really, really good team has. Somebody that doesn’t have to score every time she touches the ball to impact the game.” – UConn Head Coach Geno Auriemma.
MORE KEY STATS:
Chen ranks 3RD among WNBA reserves in total assists (83) and 5TH in total points (270)”
And if you haven’t seen Chen on the sidelines, Chen is definitely the BIGGEST Valkyries cheeleader – by far. Chen exudes passion and enthusiam – a very un-Asian trait, which I love.
One Last Note
Prior to the game starting, it’s traditional for the Valkyries to have a guest of honor drum the drum. For this game, was San Francisco Bay Area native and Olympic Gold figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi:
It’s been great to see the outpouring of support by San Francisco Bay Area celebrities (as well as those from beyond the Bay) during the WNBA playoffs like Rei Ami from KPop Demon Hunters performing during the semi-finals.
