Four days after a Game 7 win sealed the crown, the Valkyries took their historic title run through the streets of San Francisco and Oakland.
The Bay Area got its party. Four days after the Golden State Valkyries won their first WNBA championship, the team rolled through San Francisco and Oakland with the trophy, celebrating a title few expansion teams could imagine this soon.
Winning a championship in only the second season of existence is a rare feat. The Valkyries went from newcomers to league champions in record time, and the title run came down to a deciding Game 7. Williams delivered when it mattered most, lifting Golden State to the win that sealed the franchise's place in WNBA history.
Head coach Natalie Nakase deserves major credit for the rise. She built a young franchise into a title team, and the group played with a confidence and cohesion that carried it through the pressure of a seven-game series.
The parade showed what the title means beyond the court. Fans lined the routes through both cities, turning the celebration into a shared moment for communities across the Bay. For a franchise this new, it was a loud sign that the region has embraced the Valkyries and that the WNBA's growth is still gaining speed.
