One would expect a team in the 2026 WNBA Finals to have a couple of players on the All-WNBA First Team, right? Or at least on the Second Team? As it turns out, we would be wrong: not one name from the Golden State Valkyries squad appeared on either All-WNBA team list. No, not even franchise cornerstone Gabby Williams. And Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase is not one to stay silent about this All-WNBA snub, saying her piece before the next game.
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Before all eyes were on Game 5, they were set on Coach Nakase as she addressed the media ahead of the matchup, per an X post by ClutchPoints reporter Kenzo Fukuda. She was asked for her thoughts on no one on her team making it to the first or second All-WNBA teams in a year when the Golden State has dominated throughout the regular season. Nakase was her usual smiling self, as she gave the most Nakase answer ever.
“Our team is our strength, you know, we’ve said strength in numbers. Anybody could close, anyone could start, anyone can come off the bench, anyone can finish the game. It’s just so valuable that we can change our rotations. We can change our lineups. That’s what’s dangerous about our team. It’s hard to scout when you have so many options, and so that’s what I love.”
“I’ve never met 14 players that want to see success in their team that’s sitting to the right or the left,” Natalie Nakase added. “No one wants credit on this team. I said that about Kiah Stokes; she gets like, ‘I don’t really want to do too many things.’ She doesn’t like attention. I think that’s rare. I just think that’s rare in this age of social media and everything, that we have 14 players that really don’t feed into attention, and it keeps us laser-focused.”
It turns out the Valkyries’ focus on the ultimate prize, the 2026 championship, has paid off, as they became the quickest team to make it to the WNBA Finals in the history of the league. The Valkyries, led by Gabby Williams, have been brilliant all season long, entering the 2026 playoffs with a record of 32-12, clinching home-court advantage with the second overall seed, behind only the Minnesota Lynx.
The Valkyries had the second-highest win percentage all regular season, boasting the highest defensive rating across the league. The team chemistry and ball control were some of the best the league had seen, with the Valkyries giving up the least number of turnovers on average, with only 11.5 per game. In contrast, the next lowest turnovers came from the Dallas Wings (12.1), whom the Valkyries defeated to reach the semifinals.
Kiah Stokes, who Natalie Nakase mentioned in her address, has been the defensive anchor, along with Williams, for a team that runs the league’s best defense. The three-time WNBA champion made history in Game 4, when she held Angel Reese to only eight points and 2-of-12 from the field. Stokes, who is playing her tenth playoff season, set a new WNBA record for the most total blocks in a Finals series, with 14 across the first four playoff games.
A display of the humility that Natalie Nakase was talking about came when Stokes was told about her record; the WNBA veteran had a wholesome response.
“I’m trying to be the last line of defense for our team that allows my guards to bring the pressure a little more,” Stokes added. “I know they have confidence that I have their backs. So just trying to do what I can do.”
Her statement, alongside Williams’ excited reaction to the news of Stokes making WNBA history, is also reflective of how close the team is and how well they understand the pulse of each other’s game.
Stokes, along with Veronica Burton, found their names on the 2026 WNBA All-Defensive Second Team. The Valkyries truly became a wall for all opponents trying to score against them, holding even the Dream to one of their lowest scores in the 67-62 Game 4 win. Gabby Williams’ defensive prowess earned her a spot on the All-Defensive First Team, which also included the Dream’s top postseason scorer, Angel Reese.
While none of the Golden State’s players made it into the All-WNBA teams this season, their goal is much larger. The kind of performances the team has put up all season is proof of Natalie Nakase’s effort. And we all know the Golden State’s motto, spanning across the NBA and the WNBA: Strength in Numbers, and the Valkyries are nothing if not stronger together.
They just proved that by clinching Game 5 with a 64-55 win at Chase Center, taking the lead again in the series, 3-2 for now.