Expansion teams are supposed to be patient. They are supposed to spend a few years collecting draft picks, losing games, developing players, and convincing fans that the future is brighter than the present. The Valkyries apparently missed the memo. In only their second season, they have won the WNBA title. And, in the process, they did not simply arrive ahead of schedule, they made the schedule irrelevant. Theirs was the first Game 7 in league history, and they made sure it would be remembered not just for the novelty of having one. A franchise that was still introducing itself to all and sundry last year now has a championship banner to hang alongside the Warriors’ seven.
Needless to say, the rubber match belonged to Gabby Williams. The Dream had it under control at the half, only for her to decide that the remaining 20 minutes would spur a different conversation. She scored 28 of her 30 markers after the break, including a remarkable stretch in which she carried the Valkyries’ offense single-handedly. The visitors could not find an answer, and they eventually turned what was, in one instance, a nine-point deficit into a five-point victory. Far more than merely having a good shooting night, she took responsibility for a team that needed her to make every possession count.
To be sure, the Valkyries’ success goes beyond Williams’ spectacular performance. They did not have an All-WNBA honoree on their roster, and yet they somehow managed to defeat the vaunted Aces before outlasting the Dream. Head coach Natalie Nakase made adjustments when the matchups demanded them, including changes to the starting lineup that helped turn the Finals around. Kiah Stokes supplied the rebounds and defensive presence. Veronica Burton and Tiffany Hayes contributed with timely plays. Everybody understood that the hardware would not be delivered by one person alone, a refreshing proposition in a sporting world increasingly obsessed with assembling stars and then relying on them to solve just about everything. They proved they could plod on when their star was struggling and capitalize when she finally showed her worth.
Certainly, the Dream deserve more than a footnote in the Valkyries’ celebration. They pushed the eventual titleholders to the limit, in the process demonstrating that the distance between winning a championship and going home empty-handed can be painfully small. They had the lead at halftime and ample opportunities to finish the job. Instead, they ran into Williams. No doubt, they will spend much of the offseason engaging in what ifs. Meanwhile, the violet and black will spend it planning an extended stay at the top.
The WNBA now heads into an offseason that will be watched almost as closely as the Finals. The draft lottery, roster decisions, trades, and free agency will determine whether the Valkyries’ achievement becomes the beginning of a dynasty or simply a remarkable chapter in franchise history. The league has plenty of compelling teams and personalities, but rising above all is a contender that did not need years of waiting to become relevant. Their victory is also a reminder that a championship does not always require the most recognizable names or the most expensive collection of talent. Sometimes it requires a bench tactician willing to make adjustments, a roster willing to accept its responsibilities, and one player who refuses to let the season end. They were supposed to be years in the making. Instead, the rest of the WNBA is forced to play catch-up.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.