The Golden State Valkyries have reached the WNBA Finals after sweeping the defending champion Las Vegas Aces 3-0 in the semifinals.
But Gabby Williams’ claim that the team received little love all season has upset fans, who point to the huge crowds supporting Golden State throughout its second season.
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WNBA Fans Question Gabby Williams’ Claim About Valkyries Support
Williams made the comments after Friday’s 87-77 overtime win over Las Vegas sealed Golden State’s place in the Finals.
“We’re about to have some bandwagoners, but we ain’t got no love all season,” Williams said. “Nobody believed in us, but it made us smile because we were like, ‘All we need is each other.'”
She added that the team planned to carry the same mentality into the Finals, staying together and playing unselfishly. However, fans questioned why Williams felt the team had been overlooked, given its strong home support.
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The Valkyries’ support has been hard to miss. Golden State sold out all 22 home games at Chase Center for the second straight year. That brings the Valkyries to 44 regular-season home sellouts in their first two years in the league.
Williams has also spoken about how much it means to her to play in front of the Bay Area community, making her latest comments even more surprising to some viewers.
One fan immediately dismissed her claim, writing: “Lies. The refs love yall.”
Another pointed to the crowds that regularly filled Chase Center, asking: “Says the player from the team that sold out their stadium almost every game… What are you talking about bro 😭😭😭”
The attendance numbers became a major part of the criticism. One viewer highlighted the apparent contradiction, saying: “??? The same team that has the highest attendance numbers in the league ??? lol okay”
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Another fan was equally unconvinced, arguing: “Sold out arena every game but didn’t get love. Cmon Gabby. You’re better than this.”
Not everyone focused on the attendance figures. One reaction suggested that the new attention could attract fans who dislike Angel Reese, who has become a major talking point during Atlanta’s playoff run.
“And the bandwagons will be Angel haters ofc,” they wrote.
Still, Williams may have been referring to the attention the team received from national media and preseason predictions rather than to support inside the arena. Those are two different things, and her comments do not necessarily mean she believes the Valkyries fans abandoned the team.
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Golden State has certainly earned attention on the court. After beating Dallas 2-1 in the first round, the Valkyries swept Las Vegas, winning Game 1 by 11 points, Game 2 by two, and Game 3 in overtime. Williams averaged 20.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.3 steals in the 3-0 semifinal sweep.
Meanwhile, in the other semifinal, Atlanta Dream swept past the 2024 champions, New York Liberty, 3-0. Reese averaged 20.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.3 blocks, and 2.0 steals per game.
The 2026 WNBA Finals begin on October 17 between the Valkyries and the Dream. Both teams are chasing their franchises’ first championships, and Golden State will look to carry its strong home support into the biggest series in its young history.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.
