Gabby Williams' 30-point Game 7 heroics earn WNBA Finals MVP as Natalie Nakase makes surprising world's best player claim

Gabby Williams has given the Golden State Valkyries their first WNBA championship and finished the season with the Finals MVP award. Her outstanding performance in the championship series has earned her huge praise from head coach Natalie Nakase, who believes the award means more than the regular-season MVP. Nakase also explained why Williams deserves to be called the most valuable player in the world.Natalie Nakase says Gabby Williams deserves the world’s best player recognition after WNBA finals MVP winSpeaking after the championship win, Natalie Nakase made her feelings about Williams clear. The coach believes the Finals MVP award carries greater value because players must perform under pressure throughout the playoffs and survive difficult series before reaching the final stage.“To me, the MVP is the Finals MVP. That means you gotta play through the playoffs. You got to grind. You got to go through a seven-game series. Like, she’s the most valuable player in the world. Hands down. Good job, Gabby,” Nakase said, as shared on the Golden State Valkyries’ YouTube channel.Williams had to deliver against some of the strongest teams in the league before getting her hands on the trophy. Golden State first defeated the Dallas Wings 2-1 in the opening round, with Williams scoring 75 points across the three games.The next challenge was even bigger. The Valkyries faced the defending champions, the Las Vegas Aces, led by five-time MVP A’ja Wilson. However, Golden State won all three games to book its first WNBA Finals appearance. Williams scored 25, 20 and 16 points in those three games.The Atlanta Dream then pushed the Valkyries into a seven-game battle for the championship. Williams averaged 19.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists during the Finals, according to StatMuse statistics reported by Sportsnet.Gabby Williams delivers 30 points as Natalie Nakase’s Valkyries win first WNBA championshipThe biggest test arrived in Game 7 at Chase Center on October 31. Williams had only two points in the first half as Atlanta went into the break with a 30-24 lead. Rather than asking her star player to force difficult shots, Nakase told her to stay patient and trust the game.Williams followed that advice and completely changed the contest after halftime. She scored 28 points in the second half, including four three-pointers, and finished with 30 points, three rebounds, two assists, four blocks and two steals.The Valkyries won 68-63, securing their first championship in just their second season. Williams later spoke about the message that helped her turn things around.“Nat told me to stay patient. I trust her with my life,” Williams said after the game. “I stayed patient.”Her performance also earned praise from people outside the Valkyries. Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry congratulated her through an Instagram story, celebrating another championship for the Bay Area.Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg also compared Williams’ performance to Curry’s shooting display, pointing to the way she came alive after a quiet first half.The championship also added another title to Golden State’s collection. The Warriors had previously won NBA championships in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022, and the Valkyries have now brought a WNBA trophy to the same city.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.