Valkyries Parade Crosses Bay to San Francisco After Title

The Golden State Valkyries held a joint celebration in Oakland and San Francisco on Wednesday to mark their first WNBA championship. Tens of thousands of fans lined the streets to watch the team, which had urged supporters to take the day off work and school.

The parade began at Jack London Square in Oakland, near the team's practice facility. Players posed for photos with the trophy before boarding a ferry across the bay. The procession started at the San Francisco Ferry Building and ended near Oracle Park, home of the Giants.

The Valkyries won the title on Saturday in a 68-63 Game 7 decision against the Atlanta Dream. The victory gave coach Natalie Nakase and her squad a championship in the franchise's second season. The team had reached the playoffs in its inaugural year in 2025, becoming the first expansion franchise to do so.

Owner Joe Lacob secured the franchise three years ago and promised a title within five years. The team met that deadline in its second year of play. Fans wearing team colors danced and waved at the players, who rode on floats and a double-decker bus.

The mascot, a raven named Vi, joined the players on the floats. The team incorporated a specific gesture into the celebrations. During Game 3, Atlanta player Angel Reese signaled to the Valkyries bench that they were too small. After the final game, Valkyries guard Juste Jocyte performed the same hand sign for the crowd during the parade.

Guard Tiffany Hayes celebrated from the upper deck of the bus as it moved through San Francisco. The team honored fans from both cities by splitting the celebration across the water. The event concluded near the baseball stadium where the Giants play.