The Golden State Valkyries are having a parade today that's easily among the most unlikely in recent sports history. Two years ago, they didn't even have a team yet. And once they did put together a roster in the 2024 expansion draft, it wasn't one that blew people away.
Twenty-two months later, they're champions.
By the time Golden State knocked off the Atlanta Dream in Game 7 of the WNBA Finals on Saturday, the world had long been awaken to what the team was capable of. They entered the series as favorites and started the playoffs with top-three title odds as the No. 2 overall seed. However, they didn't earn that confidence overnight.
After a surprising first-year playoff berth in 2025, the Valkyries opened the 2026 season outside the eight-team
playoff picture with the ninth-best championship odds. Even after going 32-12 in the regular season, there was still doubt about how far a team without a traditional go-to player could go.
🔔 BROAD STREET CC: Cailtin Clark didn't shut down Philly pitch
Though finals MVP Gabby Williams was a two-time all-star, she was more known for her standout defense. The Valkyries didn't have a single player named to an All-WNBA team, making them the first champion with that distinction. They're just the third champion ever without a top-five MVP candidate.
General manager Ohemaa Nyanin and head coach Natalie Nakase put on a masterclass of constructing a roster with great chemistry and buy-in around a defined identity, and maximizing the skills of those players around that identity. Their quick success leaves no excuses for the WNBA's other new franchises to flounder for an extended period. And there are plenty of those new teams that might have been given more grace if not for Golden State.
From 2024 to 2030, the WNBA will have expanded from 12 to 18 teams. That includes the active Valkyries, Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, and the arriving teams in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia. The Valkyries just set the blueprint for how each can find immediate success in a league full of stars -- without their own. It won't be nearly as easy to follow as Golden State made it look.
🏈 Brandon Aiyuk attempting a return
Brandon Aiyuk has finally submitted his paperwork to be reinstated by the NFL, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The 2020 first-rounder has been on the San Francisco 49ers' reserve/left squad list since the summer amid a dispute with the team over his rehab from the injury that's sidelined him since 2024.
Whether he can still be a productive receiver after two years off remains to be seen. Charles Curtis has fantasy advice for managers considering Aiyuk, but it's worth remembering he may not find a landing spot after burning so many bridges.
Quick hits: Kornacki cam ... Biggest NFL trade candidates ... and more
- Steve Kornacki walking into NBC's election coverage became a hilarious meme.
- The 10 biggest names on the NFL trade market with one week before the deadline.
- Caitlin Clark meeting "The Fonz" on TODAY will make your day.
- Joel Embiid addressed the adjustment he's had to make on a team with so many mouths to feed.
- Sophie Cunningham believes one thing is holding back Angel Reese from her MVP upside.
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This article originally appeared on For The Win: The Valkyries' 2nd-year title sets a high bar for WNBA's rapid expansion
