A first-time WNBA champion awaits as the Valkyries face the Dream in the finals

NEW YORK (AP) — Golden State Valkyries owner Joe Lacob proclaimed that his team would win a championship within its first five years when he bought the expansion franchise.

The Valkyries are now one step away from achieving his mandate way ahead of schedule as it only took two years for Golden State to reach the WNBA Finals. They'll face the Atlanta Dream in the best-of-seven series that begins Saturday, Oct. 17.

“They had this vision from the start, to see it come to fruition in Year 2 is pretty amazing,” Valkyries forward Kiah Stokes said. “It's pretty special. We're looking forward to the finals."

The league will have a first-time champion. The Valkyries became the quickest WNBA expansion franchise to reach the finals since the league first began 30 years ago. That topped the Dream, who did it in their third year.

Golden State has done an incredible job in building the franchise into one of the premiere ones in the league quickly. The second-seeded Valkyries led the league in attendance, which helped them achieve the best home record this season. They defeated the Las Vegas Aces in the semifinals, sweeping them in three games with Friday's overtime victory. They made a big move in free agency this offseason, signing Gabby Williams.

She has been one of the best players in the league on both ends of the court. Williams raised her game in the postseason, averaging 22.7 points from the 14.4 in the regular season. Golden State has been built around 3-point shooting, a solid set of reserves and defense.

The Dream reached the Finals for the first time since 2013 after taking out the New York Liberty in three games as well. Now both teams will have a week off before the championship round begins.

“We want to enjoy this moment. we’re very proud of getting there,” Atlanta guard Jordan said. “It took a lot of hard work. ... Proud of getting there, but knowing that the job is not done.”

Atlanta reached the WNBA Finals in 2010, 2011 and 2013, but got swept each time. This is a different Atlanta roster with a bunch of stars including Angel Reese, Canada, Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray.

Gray, the Dream’s leading scorer, injured her left hand in the semifinals opener and missed the next two games. Having the time off before the Finals begin will be big for her.

The Dream also added veteran DeWanna Bonner late in the season, which has proven to be a huge addition with her playoff experience.

Offense may be hard to come by for both teams as they are two of the best defensive squads in the league. Golden State won all three of the regular-season meetings with the last coming on July 4.

See AP’s full WNBA coverage here

Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard (10) looks to shoot over New York Liberty guard Marine Fauthoux, left, during the second half of Game 3 of the WNBA basketball semifinals, Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

Atlanta Dream guard Jordin Canada (3) is defended by New York Liberty guard Marine Fauthoux, left, during the second half of Game 3 of the WNBA basketball semifinals, Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) and Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard (10) react after their team defeated the New York Liberty in Game 3 of the WNBA basketball semifinals, Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson (22) secures a rebound against Golden State Valkyries forward Kayla Thornton, right, during the first half of Game 3 of the WNBA basketball semifinals Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Williams, left, and center Kiah Stokes (41) collide while going for the ball against the Las Vegas Aces during the first half of Game 3 of the WNBA basketball semifinals Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian strikes killed at least 12 people in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a deal to buy Russian diesel that Kyiv warned would help bankroll Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

Three children were among those killed when Russian aerial bombs hit residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia, Zelenskyy said Saturday. At least 14 people were wounded in the attack.

Russia and Ukraine are locked in a long-range aerial war while their armies remain largely deadlocked on the front line, more than 4 1/2 years since Moscow’s full-scale invasion. Ukraine is struggling to counter escalating Russian bombardments that have killed more than 60 people over the past four days.

Trump said Friday he had struck a deal to obtain diesel from Russia, a stunning reversal of years of U.S. pressure on Moscow over its war with Ukraine and an attempt to address high fuel prices ahead of the U.S. midterm elections.

“Today, Russia expressed its thanks for the lifting of sanctions on diesel exports by dropping five glide bombs on residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia,” Zelenskyy wrote Saturday on X.

He said the attacks show Moscow understands “any easing of pressure to mean they can keep fighting, to mean they can keep dropping bombs on cities," adding that “different signals are needed.”

Trump was set to discuss a suspected case of plague in Russia with President Vladimir Putin in a phone call.

Instead, the American leader announced Friday that Russia will immediately supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel, followed by an additional 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons “immediately thereafter.” Russia will deliver an additional 3 million tons “within a short period of time” after that, he wrote.

Trump’s shocking announcement was in stark contrast to a sweeping Russia sanctions law he signed last month that aimed at clamping down on the oil and gas revenues that fuel Russia’s war against Ukraine.

In a lengthy post online reacting to the deal on Friday, Zelenskyy said Russia would repay it “with further terror and perfidy.” He framed it as an investment in the war that could prolong it.

“It plays into Russia’s hands — allowing it to kill more, wage war for longer, have even less respect for America, and inflict even greater losses and damage on the world,” he said.

According to a statement released by the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington, Zelenskyy called it “a weak decision, unfortunately, a weak decision by strong partners.”

Trump announced the deal as his envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner met with Ukrainian officials in Miami to discuss a proposal to end the war.

“I believe our team is simply being used as a smoke screen. And that is certainly not fair. It is certainly not how partners should treat each other,” Zelenskyy said.

Rescue workers clear the rubble of a residential building destroyed by a Russian airstrike in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Kateryna Klochko)

A woman reacts after pulling her relatives from the rubble of a residential building destroyed by a Russian airstrike in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Kateryna Klochko)

A man talks on the phone while sitting on the rubble of a residential building destroyed by a Russian airstrike in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Kateryna Klochko)

A relative speaks to a woman on a stretcher after pulling her and her husband from the rubble of a residential building destroyed by a Russian airstrike in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Kateryna Klochko)

Rescue workers carry a body after pulling from the rubble of a residential building destroyed by a Russian airstrike in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Kateryna Klochko)