A first-time WNBA champion awaits as the Valkyries and Dream open the Finals

The WNBA will crown a first-time champion with the Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream playing for the title in the best-of-seven series that starts Saturday.

Golden State is looking to become the fastest expansion team in league history to win a championship as the Valkyries are only in their second year. Atlanta reached the Finals for the first time since 2013 and after losing in its previous three appearances in the championship round, will be trying for their first as well.

Offense will be at a premium as the series features two of the best defensive teams in the league led by coaches Karl Smesko and Natalie Nakase.

For the first time in a long time, ESPN won't be broadcasting the WNBA Finals. As part of the new media rights deal, NBC and USA Sports have the rights to the championship round. The two networks will be splitting it with NBC showing Game 1 on Saturday and Game 4 a week later. USA Network will have Game 2 and 3 as well as 5, 6 and 7 if they are necessary.

Anaylst Sarah Kustok will be doing double-duty working for both networks.

The WNBA Finals are a hot ticket with Golden State having the highest attendance during the regular season, averaging over 18,000 fans. The get-in price for Game 1 was just over $200 according to the website Gametime. Last year, Game 1 of the Finals between Phoenix and Las Vegas had a get-in price of $48 the day before the game.

Atlanta was able to secure State Farm Arena for Game 3 and 4 after the WNBA and NBA came together to resolve conflicts at that arena. Had that not happened the team would have had to most likely play at Gateway Center Arena — its usual home that seats 3,500. Now they'll play at the 17,000 seat venue that is the home of the Atlanta Hawks.

As of now tickets for the two games in Atlanta are under $100, but that could change closer to game time.

The Dream didn't open the upper bowl of State Farm for their first three playoff games in the arena, but will do so for the Finals.

Atlanta's Angel Reese has won at every level she's played at so far besides the WNBA. She won a NCAA championship while she played at LSU and was a member of the USA Basketball team that won the gold medal at the women's FIBA World Cup this past September.

“Anywhere I go, I am looking to win,” she said. “I have won at every level I have been at. Coming into any situation, I have a winning mentality -- no matter what it looks like or what it takes.”

Reese has upped her play in the postseason, averaging 18.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 1.6 steals in the five games. She's also shooting 38.5% from behind the 3-point line.

See AP’s full WNBA coverage here

Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase, center, looks on as forward Kayla Thornton, left, runs a drill at practice during a media day in Oakland, Calif., Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, ahead of Saturday's Game 1 of the WNBA basketball Finals against the Atlanta Dream. (Yalonda M. James/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese attempts a basket during a media day in Oakland, Calif., Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, ahead of Saturday's Game 1 of the WNBA basketball Finals against the Golden State Valkyries. (Yalonda M. James/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

MIAMI (AP) — Hurricane Trudy moved toward southwestern and west-central areas of Mexico's Pacific coast and could keep growing through Saturday, forecasters said.

The center of Trudy will approach the coast on Saturday and pass near it into Sunday. A hurricane warning was in effect from Manzanillo in Colima state to Cabo Corrientes in Jalisco.

The storm was a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph (150 kph) on Saturday morning.

Trudy was about 255 miles (410 kilometers) west of Acapulco, in the Mexican state of Guerrero, and about 190 miles (305 kilometers) south-southeast of Manzanillo, Colima state, while moving northwest at 8 mph (13 kph), the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

The Mexican navy urged the maritime community and coastal residents to exercise extreme caution due to high waves, heavy rains and the risk of rising river levels, flooding and landslides in vulnerable areas.

The state of Colima has said that risks are currently low, but the storm could bring significant rainfall that could have damaging effects due to the saturated ground following the successive storms that have hit the Pacific coast.

Through the weekend, Trudy is expected to produce 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 cm) of rain, with isolated higher totals around 15 inches.

Also in the Pacific, Typhoon Champi became a major category 4 storm as it moved west toward Guam at 15 mph (23 kph). Maximum sustained winds were 130 mph (200 kph), according to the U.S. Weather Service. Forecasters said it could become a super typhoon in the next 12 hours.

It was forecast to pass just south of Guam. A typhoon warning was issued for Guam and Rota along with a tropical storm warning for Tinian, Saipan and nearby areas.

This GOES-19 GeoColor satellite image provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and taken on Thursday, Oct. 15 2026, shows Hurricane Trudy in the Pacific. (NOAA via AP)