Gabby Williams is not a name that dominates mainstream MVP conversations the way A’ja Wilson, Caitlin Clark, or Breanna Stewart does. But with her performance against the Atlanta Dream in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals on Saturday, she is making it increasingly difficult for anyone to overlook her place among the very best players in the league.
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Following that performance, WNBA journalist Noa Dalzell went ahead and made a bold statement placing Williams firmly in that conversation. In fact, for Dalzell, it is actually unfair that a player of Williams’ caliber is not already a regular fixture in it, especially after what she delivered in the Valkyries’ 68-64 Game 1 victory.
“In a game where the Valkyries scored just 68 points, Gabby Williams poured in 26,” Dalzell said on WNBA Today on CLNS after the game. “She was the only player on the Golden State side to score double-digit points. It’s really rare that you see, on this stage, someone shoulder such significant responsibilities on both ends of the floor and do it as she did.”
“They couldn’t afford to have her leave the floor. They just couldn’t. She has ascended to become a real star. She is a 1A. And she is among the best players in the WNBA. It’s unfair not to have her in that conversation, not just because she can create her own shot and hit the three-ball, but because she just does everything right,” she added.
And indeed, Gabby Williams truly did put on a masterpiece of offensive endurance and ice-cold composure to carry Golden State to a gritty victory over Atlanta’s stingy defense.
Facing constant physical pressure, she was essentially a one-woman offensive engine for the Valkyries throughout the night. Alongside her game-high 26 points, she contributed four rebounds, two assists, and a steal across 33 minutes, registering a game-high plus-minus of +16 in a game won by just four points.
That level of production is entirely consistent with what she has shown all season. Throughout the 2026 regular season, Williams was the engine that powered the Valkyries, leading the team in scoring with a career-high 14.4 points per game while anchoring what became the league’s most feared perimeter defense. That relentless consistency on both ends earned her All-WNBA Second Team honors from the Associated Press and a runner-up finish for Defensive Player of the Year.
Her stellar year also extended beyond the domestic game. She claimed the FIBA French Player of the Year award and was named Best Defensive Player at the FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin, even as France ultimately fell to Team USA in the final.
However, while that World Cup eluded her in Berlin, she will be looking to ensure the same does not happen here. With a Game 1 win secured and three more victories to go, the Valkyries are within reach of something historic. Perhaps finally completing that journey will earn Gabby Williams the recognition among the greats that Dalzell and others like Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase believe she already deserves.
“One of the Best Players in the World”: Natalie Nakase Praises Gabby Williams as Valkyries Crowd Celebrates Star’s Game 1 Heroics
Gabby Williams may not appear in that conversation of the best players as often as her performances merit, but inside the Golden State Valkyries organization, there is absolutely no ambiguity about where she stands. In fact, head coach Natalie Nakase did not hesitate to put her right in that conversation when speaking about her star player after the game.
“Gabby is one of the best players in the world, hands down,” Nakase said. “She’s showing that when we need some buckets, she’s willing to get to her spots and take over. I think she’s showing it at the perfect time right now, and that’s what we need.”
If the reaction inside Chase Center after that Game 1 performance was any indication, Nakase’s assessment is one that every single Valkyries fan wholeheartedly shares. After the final buzzer, the crowd loudly and affectionately called her name, and Williams could not help but absorb the emotion of the moment.
However, she is also acutely aware that the job is far from finished, as she was also quick to remind everyone that the job is not done yet.
“It feels like we’re not done yet,” Williams said when asked what the moment meant to her after the game.
Game 2 returns to Chase Center, and the Defenders of Ballhalla will undoubtedly be out in force again, louder than ever, ready to play their part as the Valkyries look to take another step toward making history.