Gabby Williams recalls ‘tipping point’ that led to WNBA-altering Valkyries decision
This decision changed the course of Valkyries history.
When she entered free agency last spring, Gabby Williams had one priority: securing a championship. However, the Golden State Valkyries were not initially on her radar. It's difficult to picture now, following Williams leading the Valkyries to their first WNBA title in a seven-game Finals series, that the team wasn't on her priority list. Williams claimed Finals MVP after scoring 30 points in Game 7 against the Atlanta Dream, with 28 of those points coming in the second half.
Despite this impressive performance, Williams revealed on Sue Bird's Bird's Eye View podcast that the Valkyries didn't initially meet her goal of chasing a ring in 2026. A conversation with Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase and team owner Joe Lacob, however, changed her perspective, leading to her decision to sign with Golden State.
Williams expressed her determination to win a ring during free agency negotiations, stating that she was 100% committed to securing a championship. She recalled a phone call with Lacob, who was in Turkey at the time, in which he confidently told her, "I never lose." Despite Williams' doubts about making the team, Lacob's words proved prophetic.
The Valkyries faced challenges during the Finals, including a 2-1 deficit and a halftime deficit in Game 7 at home in San Francisco. However, Williams led the team back from these deficits to secure Golden State's fifth NBA/WNBA championship since 2015.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
