Golden State Valkyries celebrate WNBA championship on both sides of bay
By Tim Fang
In a party that spanned both sides of San Francisco Bay, the Golden State Valkyries celebrated their first WNBA championship Wednesday.
On the Oakland waterfront, the championship celebration began with a rally featuring Valkyries players, team ownership and Mayor Barbara Lee, who had won reelection on Tuesday.
“We’re in the midst of greatness. This championship has brought us phenomenal women who showed us. First, it was five years, they did it in two years,” Lee said, referring to team co-owner Joe Lacob’s promise to deliver a WNBA title to the Bay Area in half a decade.
Lacob said, “I never thought we could do that within two, we certainly we’re trying. But thanks to Ohemaa and Jess and Natalie and all these great players, we obviously did achieve the unthinkable.”
Coach Natalie Nakase credited the love the players had for each other and the team’s fanbase, which have transformed Chase Center into Ballhalla over the past two seasons.
“Love is the most powerful thing in the world, and these guys embody love. They care for each other. And to be honest, though, it did start in the very first game we had and it started with Ballhalla. You guys gave us that roar, that hostility, that care.”
Following the rally, the team boarded ferry boats and crossed San Francisco Bay for a parade along the Embarcadero.
“Never been on a ferry before, I’ve never really been around water,” Kiah Stokes told CBS News Bay Area reporter Matt Lively. “So far, the turnout is amazing, but it’s just great vibes great people and I can’t wait to celebrate this championship.”
Once in San Francisco, the team was greeted by a massive group of fans, many of whom gathered hours before the parade. Williams kicked off the parade by beating a drum, which has become a pregame ritual ahead of Valkyries games at Chase Center.
The parade route stretched from the Ferry Building to 2nd and King streets, near Oracle Park.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like this. You can see the sea of violet just lining the street, here in the Embarcadero,” said CBS News Bay Area reporter Kelsi Thorud, who was on board a double decker bus with players Tiffany Hayes, Kaila Charles and Kayla Thornton.
“It is the perfect day, the sun is out, there is not a cloud in the sky,” Thorud added. “People called out of work to be here for this parade, kids took off school to be here for this parade because they know that this is a historic moment. This is the very first championship in what is hopefully going to be a long run for these Valkyries.”
In only their second season, the Valkyries won the WNBA championship, defeating the Atlanta Dream in seven games.
