The Golden State Valkyries celebrated their first WNBA championship Wednesday on both sides of the bay, four days after beating the Atlanta Dream in Game 7 of the Finals.
The day began at 10 a.m. on the lawn by the Jack London Square ferry landing, The Oaklandside reported. Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, reelected the day before, spoke at the rally. "First, it was five years, they did it in two years," Lee said, CBS News Bay Area reported, referring to co-owner Joe Lacob's promise of a title within five years.
"I never thought we could do that within two," Lacob said. Coach Natalie Nakase credited the fans who turned Chase Center into "Ballhalla": "You guys gave us that roar, that hostility, that care."
The team then crossed the bay by ferry. In San Francisco, Mayor Daniel Lurie welcomed players off the boat, and Finals MVP Gabby Williams opened the parade by beating the pregame drum as fans chanted "G-S-V," The San Francisco Standard reported. The route ran from the Ferry Building to 2nd and King streets near Oracle Park.
Most players left the double-decker buses to walk the route and greet fans. Veteran guard Tiffany Hayes, who won her first title in her 14th season, wore a shirt reading "Valks in 7!!!" The Valkyries have sold out every home game since their 2025 debut.