ATLANTA – The Golden State Valkyries find themselves in a strange place, up 3-2 in the WNBA Finals on the eve of Game 6, with the exigent opportunity to close out the Atlanta Dream and raise the championship trophy.
Caught between the focus necessary to put down the hungry Atlanta squad fighting for their lives, the nerves and anxiety of being on the precipice of their dreams, and the danger of letting themselves believe they are about to fulfill those hopes – it is an emotional purgatory.
“You have to be in the moment in order to be a champion,” Gabby Williams said before Golden State's Wednesday practice at Gateway Arena. “So we're not thinking anything is done. I think we're thinking about today's practice and how much we need to get done today, and then going from there.”
So it's understandably even stranger to ask the Valkyries to reflect on their journey to the mountaintop when their eyes and attention are dead set on the task at hand. But for a team whose mantra has always been about being deliberate in their process — a team whose love and enjoyment for each other is so palpable and so ingrained in their unselfish, strength-in-numbers style of basketball — it is the journey that makes Golden State's magical run to the Finals feel special.
“It feels special because this is a special group,” Williams said after the Valkyries swept the Las Vegas Aces to clinch the young expansion franchise's first Finals appearance. “All we need is each other. We just need to believe in each other. We know we weren’t a team that was talked about, but just the culture and going to work every day, we felt that we had something worth fighting for.”
ClutchPoints asked all twelve players on the Valkyries' active roster, as well as head coach Natalie Nakase, what memories come to mind when they think about all the steps it took for them as a team to get to this point in the season. In between sections of these conversations, I added additional details to highlight the players' demeanor. Sometimes the question was posed to multiple players at once.
(These conversations have been laid out in chronological order, lightly edited for brevity and clarity).
Natalie Nakase's season-long theme of learning
Obviously you know those like you guys still got one more game to win, but is there a memory that kind of comes to the surface when you think about like all the things that it took to get here?
Nakase: Give me an example, Kenzo.
Maybe something in practice or with the team or in a game, something very memorable, very emotional, maybe that just comes to your mind.
Nakase: I can give you a theme of just our players wanting to just learn more every single day. Like today in the film session, their eyes were glued to that film session where you'd think… We'd just won (Game 5), everyone's saying we're just one away, but they want to do and play their absolute best the next game to make sure we seal this. And so I would just say they're constantly willing to learn. They don't sit back and be like, “I don't know what's going to happen.” It's butts off the seat, leaning forward. I think it's that type of being coachable, learning that having 14 professionals — these are professional athletes.
I don't think that's very common. I think sometimes there's a “I got it, I know it. We just won,” type of relaxing. That that's not our players, and I think that's why you see the success happen so quickly. Because the coachability, the learning, the questions. They asked a lot of questions today in the whole session. Again, because they're trying to make me a better coach, and I think that's been really the secret. Like the coaching-player relationship is: “How can we get each other better?” and not just me always saying “You guys get better.” I would say that's the biggest thing. They're making me better.
Has that kind of always been the case this season, or do you think it's kind of changed? Like, how you guys have been able to work on getting better together and breaking down film, has that evolved over the course of this season?
Nakase: I think losses are the ones that really expose… because the losses expose what your weaknesses are. So I think it's really after the losses is, like I said, we're getting closer and closer together, and it's more because they've been confused, and it's more because of my non-clarity I think in (how I am) coaching (them).
Kaitlyn Chen, Juste Jocyte, Cecilia Zandalasini
Obviously, you all are in the thick of it right now and are focused on Game 6. But when you kind of look back and reflect on the season, are there any like memories with the team that kind of bubbled to the surface that stand out to you?
Chen: Ceci?
Zandalasini: *eyebrows furrow, thinking*
Jocyte: Ooo, when we went to Top Golf.
Chen: Oh yeah, we went to Top Golf as a team.
Was it just for fun?
Jocyte: Yeah, just for fun. I was bad at it so I didn't like it.
Who was the best?
Chen: Kiah.
Zandalasini: Kiah.
Jocyte: Kiah.
Any others?
Chen: I feel like there are a lot of different moments throughout the season. I think just making it however far we've come so far this year has been a lot of fun. And then obviously like certain games, not that I can remember off the top of my head.
Zandalasini: When we barbecued at Gabby's house, that was fun. Yeah, we've done a couple of things. That's all that I've actually did. No, just appreciating the journey. It's been a long, long season, and of course, when you have time, kind of gather to spend time together, build that chemistry outside of the core. I think it was really cool and important, but mostly fun.
Laeticia Amihere's off-court memories
Obviously, guys are focused on the game and everything. But when you kind of think back on the season, how far you guys have come to get here, are there any memories about the team or from the season that kind of come to mind?
Amihere: I don't have a specific memory, honestly. I think probably the off-court memories of my teammates. Just the love and joy that we have spending time together. Probably like going to Gabby's house or when we had a long road trip and went to Boston. So just those types of memories, I think I will always cherish.
What about those memories feel really special?
I think it's really rare to be on a team where, one through 14, everybody just really gets along with each other, and I think we just really love each other. Like we play games, we joke around, we barbecue, like make s'mores, like all those memories. I think we just find each other… Like it's hard to go to work and you're with each other all day, and then to actually want to spend time with each other outside of it; I think it's pretty special.
Barbecues at Gabby Williams' house
Gabby, I've been kind of asking everyone as you kind of reflect on the season, and just like all the steps that took to get here, are there any memories that kind of bubbled to the surface? Just you as a team, like being close, being tight, kind of bonding, and things like that?
There's been a few times where the whole team came over to my house.
People have mentioned the barbecues.
Amihere (seated next to Williams): *eyes Williams, smiling*
Williams: *laughs* Yeah, and those were honestly like the most… it was just cool to just have everyone kind of together, you know? Not even talking about basketball or, and talking about basketball, but laughing and just… we're colleagues, but to be able to feel comfortable enough to invite people into your home? That's a different kind of love. They have my garage code, like they can come over whenever they want, because to me, it goes beyond basketball. You can't say that you have that on every single team. But they've definitely become family to me.
(Another reporter steps in) What does getting this far in the postseason and collectively just meant to be able to do it with this group.
It's been fun. Like we just don't want to stop playing with each other, and that was, has been, our motivation going into this postseason. It was just like: “No, we got to go into October.” We can't end this because you just never know that we'll have another group like this. You'll be lucky to have this kind of chemistry together, and just people who genuinely get along. That's been our motivation all year.
Janelle Salaun and Aminata Gueye
Aminata, you kind of joined later in the season, but when you reflect on this year, are there any memories with the team that kind of bubbled the surface?
Salaun: Memory, I don't know. I don't have a memory. Just thinking about all the all the the whole season, it was just like work and consistency, and I think we did it pretty well.
What was Gabby's barbecue like?
Salaun: We had some team-building moments, so that was nice when we went to her house or a barbecue at her house. So it was a nice moment.
Aminata, how's it kind of been like jumping into this team, and it feels like everyone's like embraced you really quickly and everything?
Gueye: Yeah, like they really, really helped me when I came here. They really helped me be myself, be comfortable super quick, and just like she said, like we did some stuff together. Just aware, like they were talking and trying to explain stuff to me. It was just really easy.
Why Kaila Charles and Tiffany Hayes enjoyed the road trips
When you kind of reflect on the season, are there any memories that come to the surface when you kind of think about how far it took to get here in terms of closeness with the team, bonding, like doing it with this group?
Charles: I'd say our…
Hayes: Two-week road trip.
Charles: Yeah, I was gonna say our two-week road trip. We were already close as a team, but that's when I think we got even more closer. We were on the road for two weeks, so we had to find ways to have fun. We had a lot of game nights. We watched games together. Went to dinner. Went to Vee's (Burton's) house. We had a day in Boston, and I think that was like one of the best trips. We were like, we wish we had another two weeks on the road. But I think that was, for me, one of the best memories.
The entire Valkyries team visited Burton's family home in Boston during their August East Coast road trip in which they went 4-1 through that five-game stretch.
Hayes: I said it and then you explained it.
Charles: Okay, you can have another one.
Hayes: *smirking* No, I'm fine.
It seems rare. Everyone has said this doesn't happen on other teams. Would you guys say that's true?
Hayes: I mean, we're not in all the locker rooms this year, but I mean, from experience being on other teams before, I would say yeah, it's very rare to have something like this. Probably a… I don't want to say first, but probably a second or third for me, and I've been here for a minute.
They all mentioned Gabby's barbecues; how were those?
Charles: It was nice. It was really nice.
Hayes: Food be goooood.
Charles: Yeah, we just be having a good time.
Hayes: A fly time.
Veronica Burton, Kayla Thornton on how their bond translated to the court
Article Continues BelowI've been kind of asking every player this: I know you guys are in the thick of it right now, but when you reflect on the season, and you think about what it took to get here. Are there any memories of the team being close, doing it together, that kind of stand out to you?
Burton: So many. I mean, I would say even our time in Boston. Like, I was really grateful to be able to have-
Hayes elbows Burton, and Charles peeks over to get her attention.
You said that too?
Hayes and Charles nod their heads.
Awwww. I think that was really huge. Of course, like selfishly, it was amazing for me to be able to be in my hometown and to have the whole team come to my house. But like, I think just that experience just continued to bring us closer. It felt like such a family there, and then obviously the moments, even the losses, like how we respond to some of our low moments or our losses and where you feel: “How are we going to get out of this?” And the conversations that we come up with and the honesty out of that, those are the moments that have shaped us.
Another reporter asks Burton a question. I turned to Thornton sitting next to her after she finished answering another media member's question.
KT, I'm going to ask you the same question I've been asking everybody. Yeah. When you kind of reflect on the season and think back on all the steps it took to get here. What memory stands out to you?
Thornton: Man, there are so many ways. I can't tell you exactly one, but just the fact that we're just so selfless and we love each other on and off the court. The revelations that we build, the bond that we build, it has been immaculate. And you can kind of tell that, when we're speaking on the court, that we're just tight. So I think there's a lot of memories, but just the fact that we want to do it for each other, it makes it very special.
A lot of people mentioned Gabby's barbecues, the Boston trip, but what made those memories so special?
Thornton: A lot. Gabby inviting us to her house and then going down to see Vee's place. Never been to Boston. That just makes it all the better for us to connect, to get to know each other better, get to know each other in a different level, and like I said, that makes a difference.
Kiah Stokes' leap of faith (at the buzzer)
The Valkyries players began shuffling onto the court as the 30-minute media availability came to a close, with Stokes the last player still chatting with reporters.
Can I sneak in one question? One question, really quick?
Stokes turns, looking around.
Stokes: Sure. *laughing*
I asked everyone what memory comes to the surface when they reflect on this season? What memory comes up to mind for you?
Stokes: To be honest, it was not even during the season. It was just like taking the leap of leaving Vegas. That was really hard for me. And so if we were to cap this off, like that was one of the hardest moments of my life. Like up to… I mean, hardest moments, right? *gestures air quotes*
But like, it was a hard decision for me. So if we're able to win this whole thing, I think like just having the confidence of saying yes, I'm gonna do it, like I'm gonna come (here). I think that's like been the biggest thing for me. For sure.
Game 6 on the horizon
As the Valkyries gathered around midcourt, and the WNBA media core began shuffling out of Gateway Arena, you could faintly hear Nakase instructing the team to do… something. Then, in unison, the team inhaled, one gigantic breath of air, and all at once, let loose the loudest collective scream they could conjure up.
Golden State still has the hardest trial of their magic season left to face. But like they've done all season long, they'll do so together.