Golden State Valkyries guard Veronica Burton (center) celebrates on stage with her teammates after defeating the Atlanta Dream in Game 7 of the WNBA Finals on Oct. 31, 2026, at Chase Center in San Francisco.
Golden State Valkyries guard Veronica Burton (center) recorded a double-double — 10 points and 10 rebounds — in the team’s Game 7 win over the Atlanta Dream for the WNBA championship. Ezra Shaw / Getty Images
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Veronica Burton: ‘To hear that buzzer and know it was official — it was a dream come true’

For Golden State Valkyries guard, winning first WNBA championship still feels surreal

Mia Berry @Iammiaberry
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Golden State Valkyries Sports Veronica Burton WNBA

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    SAN FRANCISCO — As confetti fell from the rafters of Chase Center on Saturday night, tears of gratitude streamed down Golden State Valkyries guard Veronica Burton’s face as she celebrated winning her first WNBA championship.

    For Burton, the moment carried the weight of achieving a career milestone — and the relief of emerging victorious from the hard-fought WNBA Finals series against the Atlanta Dream.

    After winning Game 1 of the Finals, the Valkyries lost the next two games to Atlanta. Burton scored a combined 14 points in those losses, prompting Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase to challenge her point guard to be more aggressive.

    Burton responded by scoring 13 points in Game 4 and again in Game 5, putting the Valkyries back ahead 3-2. Then, in the winner-take-all Game 7, Burton recorded a double-double — 10 points and 10 rebounds — to help the Valkyries clinch the title.

    In this teaser for the final episode of her seasonlong WNBA Diary on Andscape, Burton spoke shortly after Game 7 about winning the WNBA championship.

    Mia Berry is the senior HBCU writer for Andscape and covers everything from sports to student-led protests. She is a Detroit native (What up Doe!), long-suffering Detroit sports fan and Notre Dame alumna who randomly shouts, "Go Irish."