On Saturday night, Ballhalla became “Boohalla” as the Golden State Valkyries hit the court for a die-or-die Game 7 against the Atlanta Dream on Halloween night. The team won the championship in a 68-63 squeaker in only their second year as a franchise. 

The Valks are now preparing to celebrate with a parade in San Francisco on Wednesday, November 4. And the day appropriately kicks off in Oakland, with a private trophy presentation (sadly, not open to fans) hosted by the City of Oakland and Valkyries play-by-play announcer Jordan Kent.

The Valkyries may play their games at Chase Center in San Francisco, but the team is headquartered here in Oakland. And the team’s newly minted WNBA finals MVP, Gabby Williams — who set a WNBA record by scoring 28 points in the second half — lives in, and is rooted in, in The Town. As she declared at a press conference on Monday, “there’s no Golden State without Oakland.”

Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Williams (1) passes between the Atlanta Dream’s Jordin Canada (3) and DeWanna Bonner (24) during Game 7 of the WNBA finals on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in San Francisco. Credit: AP Photo/Tony Avelar

She’s right — the Valkyries’ playoff run has been very Oakland-coded.

Oakland rapper Too $hort, whose iconic “Blow the Whistle” is the soundtrack for the Valkyries player intros, performed the halftime show for their first home playoff game, against the Dallas Wings, on September 27. Afterward, Williams attributed the win, in an on court interview, to the fact that she couldn’t lose in front of Too $hort, then launched into his famous lyric, “What’s my favorite word?” The Ballhalla crowd responded with the word that is probably the reason why, as Williams told the Oaklandside, she was told not to listen to his music when she was a little kid.

Too $hort came back to bang the ceremonial GSV drum before Game 2 of the WNBA finals at home on October 19 and has attended many other games during the team’s postseason run.

(Not losing in front of Too $hort has become something of a meme, echoing Williams’ previous declaration that she couldn’t lose on Pride Night “for the gays!” and her post-game statement on Saturday that she couldn’t lose on Halloween.)

“You see so many celebrities that come out of Oakland and they just have so much pride,” the finals MVP said on Monday.

Zendaya watches during Game 5 of the WNBA basketball finals between the Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, in San Francisco. Credit: AP Photo/Jeff Chiu

Many Oakland legends have showed up at Ballhalla, including Kehlani for the October 4 semifinal game versus the Las Vegas Aces. For the second game of that series, on October 7, Sheila E became the most overqualified person to ever bang the GSV drum. When Zendaya attended Game 5 of the finals on October 26, she was able to take in the raucous halftime performance by Oakland legends and funky divas En Vogue. At today’s press conference, Williams recalled spotting the actress in the crowd bobbing her head along to an E-40 song before tipoff. “You can’t take the Oakland out of Zendaya,” Williams said.

And before the fourth quarter of the decisive Game 7 on October 31, when the Chase Center crowd was directed by the jumbotron to “Get Hyphy,” arena emcee Ari Waller brought up Oakland’s Sway Calloway, the former MTV host; Flava Flav, the iconic hype man from Public Enemy; and East Bay rap star E-40. E-40 was himself a regular at Ballhalla during the season — and postseason.

E-40 during Game 3 of a WNBA basketball first-round playoff series between the Golden State Valkyries and the Dallas Wings, Oct. 2, 2026, in San Francisco. Credit: AP Photo/Jeff Chiu

Season two magic

So yes, the Valkyries postseason has had a lot of Oakland flavor. And why wouldn’t it? Although winning a championship in your second ever season is unusual elsewhere, it isn’t here. It’s exactly what the Oakland Ballers did just last year. As Ballers General Manager Laura Geist puts it, winning a chip in your franchise’s second ever season “was absurd and unheard of until the Valkyries did it again.” Even a year later, seeing the Valkyries win their title in similar way, not just in their second ever season but in a do-or-die final game on their home turf, brought it all back. “It is a wild feeling,” Geist said. “You get a taste and you want to do it every season.”

It was extra special for Geist to do it last year in Oakland, her home, “in the city that I love, with the people that I love, that energy.” She paused before reflecting, “I can’t put words to it.” 

Ballers co-founder Paul Freedman did find words. “Oakland is the best sports town in the world,” he declared. “Oakland has the best fans.” Part of what makes Ballhalla one of the greatest homecourt experiences in all of sports, he believes, is that the Valkyries have cultivated an Oakland fan base. “It’s not just Oakland,” Freedman said, “but I promise you Oakland is bringing a lot to that party.”

Valkyries DJ Lady Ryan, the owner of Oakland hot spot Golden Ratio, loves walking down the street in Oakland and seeing so many people wearing Valkyries gear with its distinctive violet color. “We are like, [pointing at each other] ayyyyyy!!!!” she said. “We need that.”

Like many of their diehard fans, the team itself will have to cross the bay from their Oakland headquarters to San Francisco for the championship parade from 12 to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, November 4.

Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase celebrates with her team after clinching the championship, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in San Francisco. Credit: AP Photo/Tony Avelar

“We are the Bay’s team, from our practice facility in Oakland to our home court in San Francisco and everywhere in between,” said Golden State Valkyries President Jess Smith.

The parade route runs along The Embarcadero, starting at the Ferry Building near Mission Street and ending at King and 2nd streets. Fans can begin showing up at 9 a.m.

Mayor Barbara Lee will join the Valkyries players, coaches and staff in the procession, as well as several “Bay Area icons and legends.” Although the names of these icons haven’t yet been shared, fans can be certain that Oaklanders will be heavily represented.

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