Natalie Nakase and Kaitlyn Chen are bound for the WNBA Finals with the Golden State Valkyries, and Game 1 tips off Saturday, Oct. 17 at Chase Center in San Francisco. The Valkyries swept the defending champion Las Vegas Aces 3-0 in the semifinals, and Nakase, the first Asian American head coach in WNBA history, will now lead the franchise against the Atlanta Dream in a best-of-seven series.

For an outlet that covers Asian American entertainment and culture, this is a story about sports, representation and a Bay Area team writing its own record book. Here is what to know before the series begins.

How did the Valkyries reach the 2026 WNBA Finals?

As the No. 2 seed, Golden State swept Las Vegas 3-0 in the semifinals, closing the series with an 87-77 win, according to the team's official announcement. The Aces entered as the defending champions.

The result carries real weight in the league's history. The Valkyries are the only expansion team in WNBA history to reach the Finals in their second season. The team's own release also notes they were the first and only team to make the playoffs in their inaugural 2025 season, and this is their first Finals appearance.

On the court, Gabby Williams led the team in scoring for the second straight series, per the Valkyries. Her postseason averages stand at 22.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.7 steals.

Why does Natalie Nakase matter to this Finals run?

Nakase is the first Asian American head coach in WNBA history, as reported by AsAmNews. That distinction now comes with a Finals berth attached.

After the series-clinching Game 3, Nakase said, "This is a dream come true to be going to the Finals in our second year," a quote AsAmNews attributes to ESPN. For many readers in the Asian American community, a coach reaching the sport's biggest stage this quickly is the kind of visibility that rarely gets a headline of its own.

"This is a dream come true to be going to the Finals in our second year."

Attribution note: that quote is reported secondhand through AsAmNews, citing ESPN.

What is Kaitlyn Chen's role for the Valkyries?

Kaitlyn Chen is a guard who comes off the bench rather than starting, according to AsAmNews. She was drafted 30th overall in 2025. In the postseason she has averaged 6.0 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists, per the same report.

Chen has also shown the team's chemistry off the court. AsAmNews notes that in an Instagram caption she wrote that she loves her teammates and "ballhalla," the fan-favorite nickname the franchise has embraced. This year's Finals branding leans into it, too: Game 1 attendees receive a violet 2026 Finals "This is Ballhalla" T-shirt, courtesy of Chase Freedom.

When are the WNBA Finals games and how can you watch?

The quick answer: the Valkyries and the Dream open the best-of-seven Finals on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 12:30 p.m. PT at Chase Center, on NBC and Peacock. All times below are Pacific, from the Valkyries' announcement.

  • Game 1: Sat., Oct. 17, 12:30 p.m., Chase Center, NBC/Peacock
  • Game 2: Mon., Oct. 19, 5 p.m., Chase Center, USA/Peacock
  • Game 3: Wed., Oct. 21, 5 p.m., State Farm Arena (Atlanta), USA/Peacock
  • Game 4: Sat., Oct. 24, 10 a.m., State Farm Arena (Atlanta), NBC/Peacock
  • Game 5 (if necessary): Mon., Oct. 26, 5 p.m., Chase Center, USA/Peacock
  • Game 6 (if necessary): Thu., Oct. 29, 5 p.m., Atlanta (venue TBD), USA/Peacock
  • Game 7 (if necessary): Sat., Oct. 31, 5 p.m., Chase Center, USA/Peacock

Radio coverage runs on 95.7 FM, 1320 AM (Sacramento) and SiriusXM channels 86 and 171, plus the Audacy and Chase Center apps. Single-game tickets at Chase Center are sold online only through the Valkyries' official site, and the team says official watch parties will be held inside Chase Center for all away games, with tickets available from Thursday, Oct. 15. A portion of proceeds goes to the Golden State Community Foundation.

What should fans watch for in the Finals?

Golden State is in only its second season, and the series opens on its home floor at Chase Center against Atlanta. Beyond the scoreboard, two storylines carry cultural weight: Nakase leading a Finals team as the league's first Asian American head coach, and Chen, the 30th pick in the 2025 draft, contributing off the bench on the same stage.

We will keep following the series. Readers who want the full context can start with the AsAmNews report and the Valkyries' announcement, which are the sources for the facts in this story.