Valkyries Championship: Bay Area Fans Join Title Parade

The Golden State Valkyries invited fans to skip work or school on Wednesday, and tens of thousands accepted. The crowd lined the streets to celebrate the team's WNBA championship, which was clinched with a 68-63 victory over the Atlanta Dream in Game 7 on Saturday.

The celebration began at Jack London Square in Oakland, a short distance from the team's practice facility. Players posed for photos with the championship trophy on a stage before boarding a ferry to cross San Francisco Bay. The parade route started at the San Francisco Ferry Building and ended near Oracle Park, the home of the San Francisco Giants.

Team owner Joe Lacob guaranteed a championship within five years when the expansion franchise was granted three years ago. That promise was kept as the team, led by coach Natalie Nakase, won the title in its second season. The Valkyries became the first expansion franchise to reach the playoffs during its inaugural year in 2025.

Fans dressed in team colors filled the sidewalks and rooftops. The atmosphere included dancing, champagne, and high-fives. Violet, the team's raven mascot known as Vi, rode on a float alongside the players. The character references Norse mythology, where ravens serve as sidekicks to Valkyries.

Valkyries guard Juste Jocyte performed a hand gesture for the crowd during the parade. The move, which signals 'too small,' was originally taunted at the team by Atlanta Dream player Angel Reese in Game 3. The gesture became a symbol of the team's resilience after the Dream's earlier lead in the series.

Forward Kayla Thornton and guard Tiffany Hayes celebrated from a double-decker bus as it moved through the city. The players acknowledged the fans who turned out in large numbers to support the new champions. The event marked the culmination of a rapid rise for the team, which reached the finals in its second year of existence.