We're past the midpoint of the WNBA season and the Golden State Valkyries are still sitting very pretty in league standings — the result of a team-wide effort that's almost certainly been magnified thanks to the addition of Gabby Williams. The Valkyries are currently third in league standings with a 16-7 record, and, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, they're showing no signs of slowing down.
Golden State got a lot of praise last season for doing nearly everything right. In fact, if there was one complaint about the team and its front office last year, it was that Julie Vanloo found out she'd been waived while on a flight back to San Francisco... and that's basically it. This is not meant to minimize what happened to Vanloo, but only to highlight that it's clear everyone involved with the organization wants to do things the right way, and they've been very nearly perfect at exactly that.
Williams was heavily pursued by the Valkyries leading up to the 2026 season. Head coach Natalie Nakase traveled to Europe, where she was playing during the offseason, to speak to her ahead of any final free agency decisions. The Valkyries knew that Williams could be the piece that would unlock everything they want to do, and, so far, it seems like they were right.
Many will remember that Valkyries owner Joe Lacob (who also owns the Golden State Warriors), made it clear ahead of the team's expansion draft in 2024 that he wants a championship within the first fiver years. Golden State made it to the playoffs last season and Nakase was named Coach of the Year, two facts that weren't predicted by many before the 2025 expansion team played their first game.
But now? Everyone is on board. It's clear that the team's relentlessly physical style of play works for the roster, and their ability to mop the floor with their opponents and methodically wear them down over 40 minutes of play should probably be studied. In fact, it's safe to assume it is being studied, night after night, by teams they've just defeated and teams they're set to play.
And at the heart of all of this success is Williams, a two-time WNBA All-Star, two-time EuroLeague Champion, and Olympian. Williams has a lot more accolades and awards to her credit than that, and it's clear she knows what it takes to lead a team. This year's WNBA Finals will be mighty interesting, and if Williams keeps doing what she's doing, the Valkyries could very well end up there.
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