The Golden State Valkyries only began playing in 2025. Yet, they’re already headed to the WNBA Finals in just their second season. But head coach Natalie Nakase has her hands full, game-planning for an Atlanta Dream team that’s in its 19th season but is just as hungry, hunting for its first WNBA championship.

The Dream finished first in the WNBA’s Eastern Conference with a 30-14 record under head coach Karl Smesko, and they’ve yet to lose a game since the postseason tipped off, with Angel Reese, Rhyne Howard, Allisha Gray, and Jordin Canada all playing key roles in the team’s success thus far.

Now, as Game 1 of the WNBA Finals is set to tip off on Saturday, basketball stars from all around the nation are chiming in on the highly anticipated matchup between the Dream and Valkyries.

Sheryl Swoopes Calls Out Janelle Salaun Before Game 1

One person who’s paid close attention to both teams as they’ve navigated the postseason is Hall of Fame legend Sheryl Swoopes. The four-time WNBA champion recently appeared on “The Draymond Green Show” podcast and challenged Sixth Player of the Year winner Janelle Salaün for her playoff performance thus far.

“Kiah Stokes is gonna have her hands full keeping Angel Reese off the glass, but Janelle Salaün, who was 6th player of the year, I do not think had a good second round versus the Aces,” Swoopes said.

She added, “She’s gonna have to show up and shoot the basketball. When I look at Atlanta, imma go with the OG, DeWanna Bonner, she’s won a championship, she know what it take and they need that.”

Salaün played only 19:34 total across the three-game series against Las Vegas, averaging about 6.5 minutes per game, well below her 22.1-minute regular-season average. She shot 2-of-5 from the field and totaled seven points in the series, averaging just 2.3 points per game after averaging 12.7 during the regular season.

Salaün’s role and production clearly dipped in Round 2, but now the second-year star has a chance to bounce back in a big way on the grandest stage of women’s basketball. Yet, she’ll be doing so against an Atlanta team that allowed the fourth-fewest points in the WNBA this season. In other words, this matchup won’t be easy either.