Caitlin Clark Watched the WNBA Finals From the Sidelines. She Got Honest About the Valkyries’ Historic Run.

The Valkyries became WNBA champions after their thrilling Game 7 win over the Dream last weekend in what was a monumental win for Golden State’s fledgling franchise and for the league as a whole. Finals TV ratings have soared in the league’s 30th season, with viewership records even being broken during a bizarrely scheduled Thursday afternoon matinee Game 6 (which averaged 1.5 million viewers, good for the fifth-largest WNBA Finals audience ever on cable).

Among those excited about the ongoing growth of the women’s game is Fever superstar Caitlin Clark. Clark saw her own season end in a bitter first-round playoff loss against the Aces in early October and has since been enjoying her free time on the golf course and at NBA games.

BRENNAN: Ride of the Valkyries: How ‘Basketball Sicko’ Natalie Nakase Built an Instant Winner at Golden State

The third-year guard recently hopped on Kylie Kelce’s podcast, Not Gonna Lie, ahead of Game 7 between the Valkyries and the Dream to discuss her thoughts on what she dubbed the “coolest storyline” of the Finals.

“I think the best part about this Finals series is that the Valkyries are in it,” Clark said. “Because they’ve been a franchise for two years, I don’t think people how ridiculous that is that they’ve been able to put together a roster and run an organization as well as they have. And for Natalie, their coach, to get everybody to buy in, to get everybody to believe. They have really, really, really talented players but at the same time on any given night, any of them could have 20 points and be the star, and it seems like nobody’s bothered by that. That’s just how they are, they’re a close-knit team.

“... Two years and to be playing in the Finals? That’s a win in itself. Not many expansion teams can have those sort of expectations. I remember their owner [Joe Lacob] when they were going through their announcement [in their inaugural season], he literally said on stage, ‘We’re going to win a championship in five years or less,’ and I was like, ‘Oh, that’s bold. I love that.’ And here we are like two years later, I’m like, ‘Well, do I love that? Because I’m not playing but they are.’ But that’s still awesome, good for them.”

Caitlin Clark on the Valkyries early championship aspirations:

“I remember their owner…he literally said on stage ‘We’re going to win a championship in 5 years or less’ and I was like I love that! And here we are, like two years later I’m like well ‘Do I love that?’ because I’m… pic.twitter.com/OoWzUw6rDo
— Kyle Ingram (@SnapshotKyle) November 3, 2026

Caitlin Clark gets candid about Valkyries’ success story, future of the WNBA

Gabby Williams, Golden State Valkyries, WNBA Finals — Gabby Williams and the Valkyries won their first-ever WNBA championship after beating Angel Reese and the Dream in a 68-63 Game 7 Finals victory. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Shortly after Clark’s podcast episode was taped, the Valkyries went on to win their maiden WNBA title in just their second season in the league, led by Finals MVP Gabby Williams’s 30 points. Like any competitive athlete, Clark likely may have felt a tad jealous seeing Golden State joyously lift its not-so-long-awaited championship trophy at Balhalla. The Valkyries’ historic win was a testament to the team’s culture and camaraderie in large part fostered by coach Natalie Nakase, who built a well-rounded, defensively-minded squad of league castoffs and got every single player to buy in to a shared goal.

On the flip side of the Valkyries’ unifying organization is the Fever, who underwent some front office turmoil following their early playoff bow-out. Two weeks ago, Indiana president Kelly Krauskopf announced she was stepping down from her position; that same day, the Fever announced they were firing general manager Amber Cox. The stunning move came on the heels of Cox’s exit interview on Oct. 3 in which she addressed the toxic narratives surrounding criticism of the Fever’s fanbase.

While the Valkyries, founded just two years ago, have immediately ushered in a golden era defined by heart, grit and collective sacrifice, the Fever have been bogged down all season by non-basketball narratives such as the backlash to the WNBA’s officiating surrounding Clark and Sophie Cunningham’s controversial comments on trans athletes. The differences, and vibes, between the two franchises couldn’t be more glaring: On one hand you have a Bay Area basketball oasis glowing with pride and nourished by inclusivity and community. On the other lies a culture war that festers wherever the Fever go.

BRENNAN: Something’s Got to Give With the Indiana Fever

Indiana star guard Kelsey Mitchell, who could leave the team in free agency, didn’t hold back on how “hard” it was playing for the Fever the last few years.

“Showing up every day to compete for fans that may or may not like you is hard,” Mitchell said during her exit interview. “Playing with [Clark] and having the eyes that she got, we get a lot of flak just for being on her team. … I think this organization is unbelievable, but I think that when it comes to really trying to be yourself, it hasn’t always been easy.”

The future remains bright for Clark and the Fever, but the road to an elusive championship likely won’t get any easier. Clark has played in just five total playoff games in her three-year WNBA career. Her draft-class contemporary, Angel Reese, made it to the Finals in her Year 3 campaign, and also made plenty of history along the way.

Clark added during her podcast appearance that she thought the WNBA’s three-game first-round playoff series format was “silly” and advocated for a 5-5-7 format moving forward. More important, though, the Fever star spoke about the growing spotlight on women’s basketball and the future of the game and its players, who will continue to profit thanks to the new CBA. No matter who gets crowned league champion, the WNBA still wins.

“I think it’s just like super cool,” Clark said, of the WNBA’s TV ratings setting new marks game after game. “Even when I was in college, I think you don’t always realize how many people are actually watching and turning on the TV. For me when I kind of fully realized it was when I would see the numbers up against Masters weekend, or other college basketball games. Obviously you can’t really compete with the NFL, that’s a different beast, but even like MLB games, or other NBA games. The amount we’re drawing on a consistent basis is pretty incredible especially when we’re on NBC and ABC and ESPN, we have really, really great numbers.

“It’s just been fun. It’s been consistent, there’s been a consistent growth about it. People always ask me where I think it’s going to go, and I really think we’re scratching the surface. ... It seems like when people turn on the TV and watch once, they kinda get hooked, and they wanna watch more.”

Add us as a preferred source on Google