Gabby Williams has never waited for anyone's permission to be great. On Friday, at WNBA Finals media day, she said so out loud. On Saturday, she went out and proved it.

The Golden State Valkyries forward scored a game-high 26 points in a 68-64 win over the Atlanta Dream in Game 1, the first Finals game in the second-year franchise's history. Golden State now leads the best-of-seven series 1-0, and it was the Dream's first loss of the postseason, per Yahoo Sports.

"The media has never respected me"

Williams, a two-time champion at UConn, was a late bloomer as a pro. Outsports noted she didn't make her first All-Star team until 2025 with the Seattle Storm. In her first season in the Bay Area, she averaged a career-high 14.4 points and made the All-Defensive First Team for the second straight year.

At media day, she talked about the people who have backed her along the way. Here is how she put it, as Outsports reported it:

“I think it’s come mostly from like, ex-teammates, opponents, players, friends. The media has never respected me. I’ve never expected it to. So that’s always been in the back of my head. They’re like, not in the back of my head, but that’s never paid me . . . I’ve never paid any mind to the media, so if the media sprays me now (waves hand).”

The support that really landed came from other players. As she told it, per Outsports: “But what has touched me the most has been, like, I’m hugging Jewell (Loyd) after the game. And she’s like ‘Hey, this is your moment now.’” She also named Paige Bueckers and Sue Bird, and Outsports counts her among at least five out LGBTQ players in this year's Finals.

Counting every possession

Game 1 did not start like a coronation. Williams missed her first four shots and Golden State fell behind 22-14, Yahoo Sports reported. Then she scored 16 points in the second quarter, making her only the sixth player in WNBA Finals history with 15 or more in a quarter, the WNBA noted.

The finish was even better. Golden State trailed 64-63 in the final 1:19 before her two free throws gave it the lead for good. The Valkyries closed on a 7-0 run with Williams scoring six of those points, while the Dream went 0-for-7 from the field over the final 2:53, per ESPN.

Her secret weapon is math. “I’m counting possessions. I’m counting points. OK, what do we need now? What’s the most timely time to go?” she said, per ESPN.

Teammate Kiah Stokes, sitting next to her at the postgame news conference, called her a “nerd,” and they both cracked up. The nerd also went 6-for-6 at the free-throw line down the stretch, per ESPN.

Coach Natalie Nakase was not subtle either. “Gabby is one of the best players in the world,” Nakase said, per Yahoo Sports. “Like, hands down.” Atlanta got 19 points from Allisha Gray and 14 points and 12 rebounds from Angel Reese, per ESPN.

What's next

Game 2 is Monday at 8 p.m. ET at Chase Center, and then the series heads to Atlanta for Game 3 on Wednesday. Williams' 26 points tied for the fourth-most by a player in a Finals debut, per the WNBA. Not bad for someone who says the media never noticed.