WNBA News Update: Dream and Valkyries Strike First as Semifinals Heat Up
October 6, 2026
The WNBA postseason has reached the semifinal stage, and already the championship picture is shifting.
The Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries each opened their best-of-five semifinal series with victories Sunday, putting two of the league’s most compelling stories one step closer to the 2026 WNBA Finals.
Meanwhile, major individual awards continue to roll out, Atlanta has announced a significant arena expansion beginning next season, and several historic performances have made this one of the most unpredictable postseasons in recent memory.
Atlanta Dream Take 1-0 Lead Over New York
The Atlanta Dream opened their semifinal series with a 92-82 victory over the New York Liberty on Sunday.
Jordin Canada delivered the biggest performance for Atlanta, scoring 25 points, including 20 in the second half, while applying pressure defensively with five steals. Veteran DeWanna Bonner added 23 points off the bench as Atlanta used a strong second half to take control.
Atlanta's playoff run is especially notable considering the franchise had not reached this stage since 2018.
The Liberty, meanwhile, have already made playoff history. New York entered the postseason as the No. 8 seed and eliminated No. 1 Minnesota in the opening round, becoming the first No. 8 seed to knock out a No. 1 seed in WNBA history.
Game 2 between Atlanta and New York is scheduled for Wednesday, October 7 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Golden State Stuns Defending Champion Las Vegas
The Golden State Valkyries delivered another major statement Sunday, defeating the defending champion Las Vegas Aces 71-60 in Game 1.
Gabby Williams led Golden State with 25 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, producing her first career postseason double-double.
But the biggest number may have been on the glass.
Golden State outrebounded Las Vegas 52-25, including 17 offensive rebounds. Those extra possessions helped the Valkyries score 20 second-chance points while limiting the Aces to only five.
A'ja Wilson still produced 24 points for Las Vegas, but the Aces shot only 33.9% from the floor.
The victory is another remarkable chapter for a Golden State franchise playing only its second WNBA season. The Valkyries finished the regular season 32-12 and entered the semifinals after overcoming a 16-point deficit to eliminate Dallas in a deciding first-round Game 3.
Game 2 is set for Wednesday, October 7 at 9:30 p.m. ET, with Golden State again hosting Las Vegas.
Angel Reese Named Defensive Player of the Year
Atlanta's postseason push comes during a huge week for Angel Reese.
Reese was named the 2026 Kia WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first player in Dream franchise history to win the award.
She received 46 of 74 votes from the national panel.
Reese led the WNBA with 12.1 rebounds per game while also averaging 1.8 steals. She recorded 521 total rebounds and 32 double-doubles during her first season with Atlanta.
Her defense has become a central part of Atlanta's postseason identity, giving the Dream another weapon alongside offensive threats including Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Canada and Bonner.
Janelle Salaün Wins Sixth Player Award
Golden State also has an award winner making postseason noise.
Valkyries forward Janelle Salaün was unanimously selected as the 2026 Kia WNBA Sixth Player of the Year.
Salaün received all 74 votes after coming off the bench in all 40 games she played. She averaged 12.7 points and established league records for a reserve with 509 total points and 93 made three-pointers.
The award represents another milestone for a Valkyries franchise that has developed from expansion team to championship contender at remarkable speed.
Olivia Miles Caps Historic Rookie Season
Minnesota may have suffered an early playoff exit, but rookie guard Olivia Miles still walked away with one of the season's biggest honors.
Miles was unanimously named the 2026 Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year, receiving all 74 votes.
She averaged 19.8 points, 6.0 assists and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 49.2% from the field.
Miles also broke the WNBA rookie scoring record with 790 points, surpassing Caitlin Clark's previous mark of 769 from the 2024 season.
Wild First Round Sets Stage for Semifinals
The first round delivered several performances that could be remembered for years.
Dallas star Arike Ogunbowale scored a WNBA playoff-record 45 points during the Wings' Game 2 victory over Golden State.
Caitlin Clark also produced a historic performance for Indiana, becoming the first WNBA player ever to record at least 25 points and 15 assists in a game, whether in the regular season or playoffs.
Las Vegas ultimately eliminated Indiana in Game 3 behind 36 points and 10 rebounds from A'ja Wilson.
New York's upset of Minnesota only added to the chaos.
The result: the No. 1 seed is gone, both semifinal favorites lost Game 1, and the road to the championship suddenly looks much wider.
Atlanta Dream Moving to State Farm Arena
The Dream made another major announcement Tuesday that speaks to the WNBA's continuing growth.
Beginning with the 2027 season, Atlanta will play all of its home games at State Farm Arena under a new multi-year agreement.
The league's expanded 2027 schedule will feature 50 regular-season games per team, meaning the Dream will host 25 home games at the larger downtown Atlanta venue.
The franchise says growing attendance and ticket demand were major factors behind the move.
It's another sign that WNBA franchises are increasingly looking for larger venues as interest in women's basketball continues to expand.
The Championship Race Is Wide Open
After only one semifinal game in each series, Atlanta and Golden State have already changed the tone of the championship race.
Atlanta has a mixture of elite defense, veteran experience and multiple scoring options.
Golden State has a suffocating defense, home-court advantage and one of the season's most unlikely success stories.
But counting out A'ja Wilson and the defending champion Aces after one loss would be dangerous, and New York has already demonstrated what can happen when a team refuses to play according to its seed.
Game 2 on Wednesday could tell us whether Sunday's results were opening-night surprises or the beginning of a genuine changing of the guard in the WNBA.
The trophy is still a long way away, but the postseason has officially caught fire.
Sources and full links
- WNBA — 2026 Semifinals Preview and Schedule: Full WNBA link
- WNBA — Atlanta Dream vs. New York Liberty Game 2: Full WNBA link
- WNBA — Las Vegas Aces vs. Golden State Valkyries Game 2: Full WNBA link
- Atlanta Dream — Game 1 semifinal victory over New York: Full Dream link
- Golden State Valkyries — Game 1 victory over Las Vegas: Full Valkyries link
- WNBA — Angel Reese named Defensive Player of the Year: Full WNBA link
- WNBA — Janelle Salaün named Sixth Player of the Year: Full WNBA link
- WNBA — Olivia Miles named Rookie of the Year: Full WNBA link
- WNBA — Atlanta Dream moving to State Farm Arena: Full WNBA link
- ESPN — Complete 2026 WNBA playoff schedule and results: Full ESPN link