'I want to build dynasties here': How the Valkyries built a title winner in just two years

The Valkyries won the WNBA championship, the first title in the franchise’s history. They beat the Atlanta Dream 68-63 in the deciding Game 7 of the Finals. The victory mattered because Golden State was a brand-new team that had entered the league with no history of success.

The win reflected a team built around defense, toughness, and shared commitment. Coach Natalie Nakase and general manager Ohemaa Nyanin assembled players such as Veronica Burton, Kayla Thornton, Tiffany Hayes, Gabby Williams, and Kiah Stokes. They emphasized a scrappy identity with no egos.

Golden State had already made history by reaching the playoffs in its first season, although Minnesota swept it in the opening round. One season later, the Valkyries went all the way. Their 68-63 victory over Atlanta turned an ambitious plan into the league’s newest championship story.

An expansion franchise is a new professional team created when a league grows. It begins without an established roster, championship record, or long team history. That makes building trust and competitiveness especially difficult. The Valkyries were the WNBA’s newest team when they began play.

Golden State reached the playoffs in its first season, becoming the first expansion franchise in WNBA history to accomplish that feat. The roster included players acquired through the 2024 expansion draft, free agency, and the 2025 regular draft. The team’s defense and shared identity helped those players fit together quickly.

The Valkyries were swept by the Minnesota Lynx in the first round, so the season did not end with a title. Still, the achievement created a foundation and made Golden State more attractive to free agents. The following season, the team won the championship, showing how quickly an expansion project could mature.

Joe Lacob originally set a five-year timetable for the Valkyries to win a championship. He shared that goal with Natalie Nakase during her October 2024 interview and had also announced it publicly when the team was created. The ambition gave the new franchise a clear target from the beginning.

Instead, Golden State reached the summit in two years. The Valkyries first made the playoffs in their inaugural season, then improved enough to win the Finals in their second. Their path depended on a strong culture, defensive effort, careful roster choices, and additions who believed in the organization’s plan.

The difference was significant: the title arrived three years earlier than Lacob expected. Nakase had told him, “Hell yeah, we’re gonna win a championship,” and later said she wanted to win that first title for him. The result validated his confidence and the staff’s rapid team-building approach.

Nakase and Nyanin shaped the roster by choosing players who matched a specific identity rather than chasing a famous star. They wanted competitors who would sacrifice for the group. Their model was scrappy, defensive-minded, and free of egos. That approach gave the expansion team a clear way to play and work together.

In the 2024 expansion draft, they acquired Veronica Burton, Kayla Thornton, and Cecilia Zandalasini. Tiffany Hayes signed in free agency, while Janelle Salaun joined the training-camp roster. Golden State used its No. 5 pick in 2025 on Juste Jocyte. Later, the team recruited Gabby Williams and signed Kiah Stokes.

These decisions created a roster with defensive toughness and complementary skills. Thornton brought championship experience, while Stokes had won three titles in Las Vegas. Williams became a major addition after hearing Lacob’s vision. Together, the choices helped turn a questioned roster into a championship team.

Nakase and Nyanin wanted the Valkyries to have a recognizable culture from the start. Their chosen identity was scrappy, defensive-minded, and without egos. They believed a new team needed players who would compete hard, accept demanding roles, and sacrifice personal interests for collective success.

That idea shaped their personnel choices. They acquired gritty two-way guard Veronica Burton and reigning champion Kayla Thornton in the expansion draft. They also added players with varied backgrounds, including Tiffany Hayes, Cecilia Zandalasini, Janelle Salaun, Gabby Williams, and Kiah Stokes. The goal was not simply to collect stars, but to find people who fit the group.

The culture helped the Valkyries become competitive quickly. They reached the playoffs in their first season, then won the championship in their second. The team’s early success suggested that shared defensive effort and role acceptance could overcome low outside expectations and the absence of an obvious star.

Golden State’s first-season playoff appearance gave the new franchise credibility. The Valkyries became the first expansion team in WNBA history to make the playoffs immediately, even though Minnesota swept them. That achievement showed free agents that the organization had a strong foundation and could compete sooner than expected.

Lacob added another attraction: a clear, ambitious long-term plan. During Gabby Williams’s recruitment, he explained why Golden State would win, have longevity, and build dynasties. Williams had been impressed by his original championship proclamation. She ultimately believed her best chance to win her first title was with the Valkyries. Stokes joined one day after Williams signed.

Stokes brought experience from four seasons and three championships with Las Vegas. She had also played under Nakase for one year. After Iliana Rupert’s pregnancy announcement, Stokes started every game and defended Angel Reese in the Finals. The organization’s vision and early results turned ambition into a powerful recruiting tool.

A new professional team usually needs multiple ways to assemble its roster. An expansion draft lets it select eligible players from existing teams. Free agency allows available players to choose the new organization. Trades let the team exchange players or draft assets for specific skills. The regular draft supplies younger prospects through league-controlled selection.

The Valkyries used several of these mechanisms. They acquired Veronica Burton, Kayla Thornton, and Cecilia Zandalasini in the 2024 expansion draft. Tiffany Hayes signed as a free agent, and Golden State used the No. 5 pick in 2025 on Juste Jocyte. The article also describes later acquisitions, including Kiah Stokes, that changed the team’s trajectory.

The key mechanism is fit. Management can combine gritty defenders, veterans, prospects, and players with championship experience. Nakase and Nyanin used these routes to create a team matching their culture. That balance helped Golden State reach the playoffs immediately and win the title in its second season.