Gabby Williams (1) reacts along with Kiah Stokes (41) and Tiffany Hayes (15) after the Golden State Valkyries defeated the Atlanta Dream 68-63 in Game 7 of the WNBA Finals Chase Center in San Francisco on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. The Valkyries became WNBA Champions in just their second franchise year.
Carlos Avila Gonzalez/S.F. Chronicle
HARTFORD — UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma has had his fair share of players who have left his program destined for greatness in the WNBA or the Olympics.
What made this year’s WNBA Finals uniquely special was that all the intangibles that serve as the foundation of UConn’s winning culture shined more brightly than ever through an unlikely foursome of former Huskies.
Article continues below this ad
When Gabby Williams, Kiah Stokes, Tiffany Hayes and Kaitlyn Chen helped the Golden State Valkyries win the WNBA title this past weekend in only the franchise’s second year of existence, it made Auriemma feel as proud as he’s ever felt for a group of his former players.
They showed their character as much as they relied on their talent.
“When you think about their careers, they didn’t leave here and immediately have years like Stewie or Diana or Maya,” Auriemma said. “They left here and worked at it, and worked at it, and worked at it, all in very different situations, and made the most of who they are.
“Gabby was in Chicago, then L.A., and then she was traded to Seattle. Who would have thought she would have the type of success she had? She went overseas, and then all of a sudden, she was in the perfect place, at the perfect time, in the right environment. To me, that’s the biggest thing for Gabby.”
Article continues below this ad
Golden State Valkyries guard Gabby Williams celebrates her team’s WNBA championship win after Game 7 in San Francisco, Calif. on October 31.
Clara Shuku Mokri for the S.F. C
Williams earned the WNBA Finals’ MVP award after scoring 30 points in the decisive Game 7 against the Atlanta Dream and averaging 19.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.6 steals during the series.
She scored 28 of her 30 Game 7 points in the second half. As Golden State secured the championship in the fourth quarter, 21 of the 23 points were scored by former Huskies.
Hayes finished the game with 11 points while Stokes had eight points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Chen only played in the final minute of the game, but throughout the playoffs TV cameras panned to her as she energized the team from the bench as the Valkyries’ biggest cheerleader.
Article continues below this ad
Stokes averaged 5.1 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game in the Finals and seemed to come up with huge hustle plays when the Valkyries needed them. At one point during the series, coach Natalie Nakase said Stokes should be the MVP if the Valkyries won the title thanks to the defense she played against Atlanta star Angel Reese.
“The one thing that’s been constant is that Kiah has been Kiah from the time she came to UConn until today,” Auriemma said. “Nothing’s changed. She’s going to help you win, and she doesn’t care who gets the credit. You’re going to win because of her, plain and simple.”
Valkyries players Gabby Williams and Kiah Stokes conducts their exit interview at the Sephora Performance Center in Oakland, Calif. Monday, Nov. 2, 2026 after winning the WNBA 2026 Championship.
Jessica Christian/S.F. Chronicle
The WNBA championship was the fourth for Stokes, who won three with the Las Vegas Aces. Her four titles tied her with UConn greats Sue Bird and Maya Moore.
Article continues below this ad
All three other Huskies on the Valkyries won their first WNBA title. Hayes, at age 37, won for the first time in 14 seasons. She had played in more games (417) than any player in league history without winning a championship before finally getting hers this season.
“Tiff is a winner,” Auriemma said. “She’s the same as when she walked on campus: ‘This is what I do. Nobody can keep me from doing it.’ She’s been doing it every year. I’m thrilled for her, and for all of them.”
From left, Golden State Valkyries center Kiah Stokes, guard Tiffany Hayes and forward Gabby Williams wait to be introduced before Game 7 of the WNBA Finals against the Atlanta Dream at Chase Center, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in San Francisco.
Carlos Avila Gonzalez/S.F. Chronicle
Auriemma said that while he is thrilled for Chen and certainly embraces adding another one of his players to the list former Huskies with a WNBA title, he said credit should go to Carla Berube for coaching Chen at Princeton before he leased her for one season.
Article continues below this ad
For him, one of the greatest parts of the Valkyries championship was that the basketball world got to see the Gabby Williams he knows. Yes, she’s a tremendous athlete, but she is also a tremendous person who wins with great humility.
While she was certainly a contributor to the two national championships she won at UConn, those titles will forever be perceived as part of Breanna Stewart’s legacy.
Now Williams has her own championship and joins Stewart, Taurasi and Moore as former UConn players who have been named WNBA Finals MVP.
Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Williams (1), center Kiah Stokes (41), guard Tiffany Hayes (15) and guard-forward Kaila Charles (6) celebrate a basket during the second half of Game 7 of the WNBA basketball finals on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
Tony Avelar/Associated Press
She only averaged 14.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game during the regular season, but if she had a career breakthrough during the Finals, who knows what type of mark she can make on the game going forward?
Article continues below this ad
“I don’t know that there are a lot of better athletes ever on the court when she takes the floor,” Auriemma said. “If she can keep putting together performances like she did, especially in the fourth quarter with the shots she made – if that is who she is now – the sky is the limit.”
Williams began to show who she really is on the international stage the past few years when she led France to silver medals at both the 2002 Olympics and the 2026 World Cup.
Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Williams (1) and center Kiah Stokes (41) celebrate a basket during the second half of Game 7 of the WNBA basketball finals on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
Tony Avelar/Associated Press
“I still look back at the Olympics and think, ‘Man, it would have been something if they’d won a gold medal at the expense of the U.S,’” Auriemma said. “I’m thrilled for everything Gabby has accomplished, especially because of the type of person she is.
Article continues below this ad
“She remembers where she’s been and how hard it’s been to get where she is. There were a lot of times when people didn’t believe in her, gave up on her or thought they could do better. She’s a product of that. There’s no thumping her chest. Instead, it’s ‘I have had my ups and downs. I put the time in. I earned this.’”