Valkyries star Gabby Williams curiously slams the media before WNBA Finals

The expansion Golden State Valkyries have quickly become a media darling, but don’t tell that to their star player Gabby Williams.

On Friday, Williams spoke with reporters (ahead of Game 1 of the WNBA Finals against the Atlanta Dream on Saturday). During her media session, Williams was surprisingly combative when asked about the praise that the team has been getting from the press in the wake of their Cinderella run.

“The media’s never respected me,” said Williams. “I’ve never expected them to.

“I’ve never paid any mind to media,” Williams added. “So, if media’s praising me now, I don’t care.”

The 30-year-old forward Williams has emerged as Golden State’s leader and best two-way player during their Finals run. She was an All-Star and the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year runner-up, also averaging a career-high 14.4 points per game.

But Williams has already been in the league since 2018, previously playing for the Chicago Sky and the Seattle Storm. Williams just signed with the Valkyries earlier this year (after the Valkyries were first founded in 2025).

With their WNBA Finals run, Williams and the Valkyries have now been getting a lot of positive press coverage (with Williams herself also earning an All-Defensive First Team selection this season and even getting MVP votes for the first time in her career). But Williams is now effectively choosing to spit in the face of all of that recognition, creating for an interesting contrast with the Valkyries’ opponents in the WNBA Finals.