Gabby Williams' Leadership Helps Valkyries Set the Tone Against Dream

Gabby Williams was unstoppable against the Dream and led the night with 23 points

The Golden State Valkyries set the tone in their first matchup against the Atlanta Dream, holding Atlanta to a season-low 66 points in a 77-66 victory.

Gabby Williams led the way with 23 points, five rebounds and five assists while going 3-for-5 from 3-point range.

The court isn’t the only place she’s showing leadership, however.

Guard Veronica Burton spoke about how the team’s selflessness and communication helped stop Atlanta, but also how she looks to Williams to push her to be a better leader.

Here is how Williams responded in the postgame press conference:

“She’s got a lot on her shoulders, and I just want to make sure she knows that she’s never alone,” Williams said. “She’s someone who thinks about her teammates before herself, and sometimes that’s a gift and a curse, because it can feel heavy, and so I just want to make sure that you know it doesn’t have to feel that way.”

“Just keep encouraging her. I think she’s doing an excellent job as our floor general, and just making sure that she never doubts that.”

Adding to this bond, head coach Natalie Nakase and members of the team repeat one word that shows up on the court: trust.

That trust, backed by the preparation and discipline Nakase consistently praises, was apparent as the Valkyries learned from their back-to-back losses and entered the matchup with renewed confidence to clinch the win.

This expansion team is becoming a force to be reckoned with. With 11 wins under its belt, Golden State is looking to make a statement with the pieces it continues to put together on the floor.

An 18-5 run helped the Valkyries build a 17-point halftime lead (44-27), giving them the boost they needed to finish what they started, even through the fourth-quarter spark the Dream have become known for.

Alongside Williams, Kayla Thornton added 17 points and five rebounds to help keep the momentum going.

“I think I just went out there and just played free, not thinking, not overthinking anything, and trusting my teammates, depending on my teammates, and so when you do that, great things happen,” Thornton said.

The Valkyries expect to see a different version of Atlanta’s offense when the teams meet again on Friday, but they’ll look to rely on the same flow-state level of play and leadership that carried them to victory in this matchup.