3 WNBA Finals players who have best shot at cracking all‑time ranks
Five years from now, the 2026 WNBA Finals between the Golden State Valkyries and Atlanta Dream might read less like a one-off matchup and more like a chapter break in a couple of Hall of Fame resumes.
This series, which begins with Game 1 in Golden State on Saturday, Oct. 17, is loaded with players either in their prime or just entering it, and more than a few already sit on the edge of real historical conversations. Some are chasing the kind of ring that cements a legacy, others are building the kind of playoff tape that gets replayed when people argue over all-time lists.
Here are the players in this WNBA Finals with the clearest path to cracking the league’s all-time rankings, from awards and rings to the more subjective “who scared you the most in May and October” test.
1. Angel Reese, Atlanta Dream
\Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) attempts a shot against New York Liberty center Han Xu (21) and forward Breanna Stewart (30) during the first quarter during Game 2 of the second round for the 2026 WNBA Playoffs at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
Angel Reese has gone from polarizing rookie to the engine of a WNBA Finals team in a hurry, and this is the first series that can vault her legacy from potential to trajectory.
Reese’s impact in her first postseason run has been built on exactly what made her famous in college: relentless rebounding, a knack for drawing contact and an edge that bleeds into every possession. Her scoring and rebounding numbers (18 points, 8.4 rebounds per game) in these playoffs have put her on the short list of candidates for Finals MVP heading into the series, alongside Gabby Williams.
All-time arguments usually start with hardware and production, and Reese already checks some boxes: impact rookie season, early All-Star buzz and now a central role on a WNBA Finals team. A championship and a Finals MVP at this stage of her career would put her on a path similar to some of the great bigs of the last decade, especially if the rebounding dominance holds up year after year.
2. Gabby Williams, Golden State Valkyries
Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Williams (1) shoots against Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) in the second half during Game 3 of the second round for the 2026 WNBA Playoffs at Michelob Ultra Arena. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
Gabby Williams came to Golden State as a do-everything wing, and by the time the Valkyries reached the WNBA Finals she had turned into the face of the league’s newest contender.
Williams enters this series as one of the favorites for Finals MVP after leading the Valkyries through a brutal bracket that included a semifinal against the defending champion Las Vegas Aces. She has averaged 22.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4 assists and 1.8 steals per game so far in the postseason.
Her appeal is obvious: two-way impact, big minutes, and the ball in her hands in every important fourth quarter. She has grown into the classic wing creator who guards up, rebounds down and makes the right read more often than not.
If the Valkyries win a title in just their second season, the history books will remember this group as one of the great expansion success stories. If Williams is the best player in this WNBA Finals, she becomes the headliner for that history. Stack that on top of her earlier international work and All-Defensive-level reputation and you can start to see a resume that, with a few more peak years, earns real consideration in conversations about the best wings of the modern era.
3. Allisha Gray, Atlanta Dream
Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray (15) dribbles the ball against the Washington Mystics during the first quarter of Game 2 of the first round of the 2026 WNBA Playoffs at CareFirst Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
Allisha Gray has quietly built one of the more complete two-way games in the league, and this finals is arriving right as her reputation is starting to catch up.
Gray’s availability for the series has been a talking point after late-playoff injury questions, but when healthy she has been the Dream’s most reliable perimeter scorer and a primary defender against elite guards and wings. Her offensive game has expanded from spot-up shooting into genuine on-ball creation, with the handle and physicality to get to the line when Atlanta’s sets break down. During the regular season, Gray turned in 19 points per game and shot 46.2 percent from the field and earned a four consecutive All-Star selection.
The all-time bar at guard is high, but the road map is clear: stack seasons as a top option, rack up All-Star and All-Defensive nods and anchor multiple deep playoff runs. If the Dream win a title with Gray playing at or near her best, she will have a Finals run to point back to when people sort through the second and third tiers of great perimeter players from this era.
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Source: sports.yahoo.com — article syndicated from the publisher’s feed; all rights remain with the original publisher.