The Atlanta Dream and the Golden State Valkyries open a best-of-seven WNBA Finals on Oct. 17, pitting a franchise still chasing its first championship against a second-year expansion team already fighting for one. The series will be the last of Commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s tenure; she announced in September she will retire at the end of 2026.
Without Indiana’s Caitlin Clark in the playoffs, the league is looking to Atlanta’s Angel Reese to carry viewer interest. Reese’s Instagram following, about 5.3 million as of Oct. 10, is the largest of any WNBA player and more than a million ahead of Clark’s. She has a signature Reebok shoe and became the first female athlete featured in a national McDonald’s meal promotion in 2025.
Television benchmarks from earlier in the playoffs give some sense of scale, though games aired on different networks and time slots. Indiana’s first-round elimination loss to Las Vegas averaged 2.25 million viewers across USA Network and CNBC. Atlanta’s semifinal opener against New York averaged 1.2 million on ABC, per Sports Media Watch. Last year’s Finals between Las Vegas and Phoenix averaged 1.5 million viewers on ABC and ESPN. This year’s series will air on NBC, USA Network and Peacock.
On the court, Reese enters having averaged 16.4 points and 12.1 rebounds in the regular season and won Defensive Player of the Year. Golden State’s Kiah Stokes, who grabbed 14 rebounds in the semifinal opener while helping defend Las Vegas star A’ja Wilson, could limit Reese’s second-chance opportunities.
Golden State’s Gabby Williams has become the Valkyries’ primary scoring option, averaging about 23 points in the playoffs after roughly 14 in the regular season. She has also distributed to teammates, including a late assist to Veronica Burton for a decisive 3-pointer in the second semifinal game against Las Vegas, while Tiffany Hayes added 21 points off the bench.
Atlanta’s Jordin Canada scored 19 points and assisted on 11 baskets in the win that clinched the Dream’s Finals berth. Golden State swept all three regular-season meetings between the teams. Atlanta enters with added playoff experience from DeWanna Bonner, who joined late in the season, while the health of Allisha Gray’s injured hand remains a factor.
Political and social histories surround the matchup
The two franchises carry contrasting public identities. In 2020, Dream players wore
