How big swings in free agency built the Valkyries into a WNBA Finals team

In just their second WNBA season, the Golden State Valkyries are headed to the WNBA Finals and will open the championship series at home against the Atlanta Dream on Saturday.

Golden State can thank the rest of The W for its help in reaching the Finals after such a short period of time.

That's because the Valkyries have built a championship-caliber team by fielding a roster loaded with free-agent signings -- that is, players whose previous teams discarded them.

Take Kiah Stokes, for example. Stokes was the Las Vegas Aces ' defensive anchor on their 2022, 2023 and 2025 championship teams, but the Aces let her walk last spring and she joined the Valkyries on a two-year, $761,250 deal in April. Stokes played a significant role as the Valkyries swept the Aces out of the playoffs on Friday.

Gabby Williams arguably is the best player still standing in the playoffs . Williams signed a three-year contract in free agency with the Valkyries and has produced an All WNBA-caliber season, finishing behind Angel Reese in Defensive Player of the Year voting.

The Valkyries also convinced veteran reserve Tiffany Hayes to come out of retirement to search for her first championship, while the rest of the WNBA ignored French forward Janelle Salaun before Golden State signed her in 2025. Salaun won Sixth Player of the Year this season.

While Golden State drafted guard Kaitlyn Chen -- who has become another valuable reserve player -- much of the Valkyries' roster was put together via free agency and the expansion draft, where the franchise picked up Veronica Burton and Kayla Thornton, its first All-Star.

Top executive Ohemaa Nyanin deserves a ton of credit for identifying market inefficiencies, and head coach Natalie Nakase has forged a winning culture that has taken Golden State to the WNBA Finals.

With four more wins, the Valkyries' bold roster-building strategy will receive the ultimate validation: a championship banner inside Chase Center.