Gabby Williams' dig at those who only focus on Caitlin Clark or A'ja Wilson after winning the WNBA championship

G abby Williams had just won the WNBA championship and Finals MVP , but her message after the Golden State Valkyries ' historic victory was aimed at those who had doubted the expansion franchise as she highlighted the collective effort that had delivered the title. Williams scored just two points in the first half of the first Game 7 in WNBA Finals history but by the final buzzer, she had helped the Valkyries defeat the Atlanta Dream 68-63, completing an extraordinary journey for a team competing in only its second season.

Rather than celebrate individual achievements, her comments offered a reminder that championship success does not always depend on having the biggest individual stars as attention across the WNBA frequently gravitates towards players such as Caitlin Clark and A'ja Wilson . And Williams wanted recognition for the culture built in Golden State after their landmark accomplishment against the Angel Reese -led Dream on Saturday, October 31. "Man, all it took was good people," Williams said. "That's it. All we heard last year, 'We don't have no stars. We don't have no talent.' “We got good people. We got winners. We got people who are ready to put their bodies on the floor to win a game. “They don't care about scoring. They just want to play defense and rebound and just do whatever it takes. And we just built a beautiful culture here."

Nakase gamble pays off as Valkyries achieve golden moment in the WNBA

The criticism began during the inaugural campaign, when questions surrounded their ability to compete with established elite but they became the first expansion team in WNBA history to reach the playoffs in its first season. Now they’re champions. Case closed. And part of that reason is coach Natalie Nakase established the team's defensive identity from the beginning of training camp as she refused to let players pick up basketballs for the first three days. Concentrating entirely on defensive principles. Golden State subsequently allowed a league-low 75.1 points per game and that commitment was particularly evident in the Finals. After falling behind Atlanta 2-1, Nakase changed her starting lineup, promoting Kaila Charles and Tiffany Hayes while moving Kayla Thornton and Cecilia Zandalasini to the bench. The players accepted the decision without complaint, and Golden State won the next two games to take control before Williams later delivered when the championship was on the line. After her quiet first half, she scored the Valkyries ' final 11 points of the third quarter and finished with 30. Her decisive three-pointer answered Rhyne Howard 's game-tying basket with 2:41 remaining. Owner Joe Lacob had promised a championship within five years when Golden State received its expansion franchise and the Valkyries delivered well ahead of schedule in their second season. Now everyone is taking them seriously.