‘Dune’ Star Zendaya Brings Oakland Pride to Ballhalla as the Valkyries Move One Win From a WNBA Title
Few celebrity sightings feel as natural as a hometown star showing up for her local team in a championship series. The Golden State Valkyries, now in just their second season, have turned the Bay Area into a purple-clad basketball frenzy, and their home arena has earned a nickname that perfectly matches its volume: Ballhalla.
That energy has been building all postseason. The Valkyries swept the Las Vegas Aces to reach the 2026 WNBA Finals, where they are facing the Atlanta Dream in a best-of-seven series, and fans have been calling their crowd one of the league’s most vibrant environments.
On Monday night, October 26, the star power in the stands got a major boost. Zendaya, the Oakland native and Emmy winner, attended Game 5 of the WNBA Finals at Chase Center in San Francisco to cheer on the Valkyries.
OAKLAND’S FINEST 🤩 We’ve got Zendaya in the house for Game 5 of the #2026WNBAFinals! ATL-GSV | USA Network | Peacock | #WNBASeason30 Tap to watch: https://t.co/CnBoRYz1EO https://t.co/izyeoXSEm8
— WNBA (@WNBA) October 27, 2026
She kept things low-key. Rather than sitting courtside, Zendaya watched from the stands wearing the free purple Valkyries Finals T-shirt that was waiting at every seat. She was accompanied by her mother, Claire Stoermer, and sported her new pixie cut.
The reaction was immediate. Cheers were raucous when she appeared on the Chase Center jumbotron, and an SFGATE reporter in the building saw her cheering boisterously for the Valkyries. Photos show her holding one of the inflatable thundersticks handed out to fans.
She also seemed to enjoy the halftime show. Zendaya was spotted dancing to Oakland R&B group En Vogue, who performed at the break.
Zendaya at the WNBA Finals in San Francisco. https://t.co/xO7UNl1ADF
— Zendaya Updates (@UpdatedZendaya) October 27, 2026
For one Valkyries player, the visit was a long-awaited moment. Guard Veronica Burton had said just the week before that she wanted Zendaya and her husband, Tom Holland, to make it out to a game, and admitted she’d be nervous if she knew Zendaya was in attendance.
Holland wasn’t there on Monday, though the ‘Spider-Man’ star is a Warriors fan. While Zendaya regularly attends Golden State Warriors games, this appears to have been her first Valkyries outing, likely because of her packed filming schedule.
The appearance capped a busy sports week in Northern California for her. Just days earlier, she watched her nephew compete in a high school football game in Folsom.
Guys I officially have the same shirt as Zendaya, does that make me a fashion icon??? #GSV @WNBA #valkyries #Ballhalla
— Kitty | In A Pink Cl0️⃣ud ⛅️ (@kaykuls) October 27, 2026
She wasn’t the only famous face. Megan Rapinoe, rapper E-40, Chris Paul and former WNBA players Ruthie Bolton and Candace Parker were also spotted supporting the Valkyries. The mix reflects how much the franchise has built a brand around its Bay Area community.
Zendaya seen with her niece at the WNBA Finals in San Francisco. https://t.co/XOX54e82Mp
— Zendaya Updates (@UpdatedZendaya) October 27, 2026
That brand has reached Oakland’s own, which is why many fans framed her visit as a hometown fan showing up rather than a celebrity cameo. It’s a fitting description of a franchise whose atmosphere one 49ers star said was louder than an NBA matchup.
Zendaya picked a good night to attend. The Valkyries beat the Dream 64-55 to take a 3-2 series lead, putting them one win away from their first championship.
Kiah Stokes did a bit of everything with 13 points, eight rebounds and three blocks, and the crowd broke into “MVP!” chants after the final buzzer. Burton added 13 points and eight rebounds, and Tiffany Hayes finished with 12 points.
It was a defensive slugfest. The Valkyries led 25-22 at the break, the lowest-scoring combined first half in WNBA Finals history, before a dominant second half pulled them clear.
For the team, the next step is Game 6 on Thursday, October 29, in Atlanta at State Farm Arena. A win would clinch a title in only their second season.
Zendaya, meanwhile, has no shortage of projects waiting. The 30-year-old ‘Dune’ star is part of Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ as Athena and returns in ‘Dune: Part Three’, which hits theaters on December 18.
Can the Golden State Valkyries Win Their First WNBA Championship?
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