Golden State Valkyries’ first postseason run has turned Chase Center into a magnet for Bay Area celebrities, with stars like Ali Wong and Kehlani joining the crowd to support the WNBA team. The Valkyries beat the Las Vegas Aces 71-60 in Game 1 of the semifinals on Sunday, Oct. 4, drawing a star-studded audience eager to catch the action.
Comedian Ali Wong, a San Francisco native, sounded the ceremonial drum before Sunday’s game, adding to her growing presence at Valkyries matches since the team’s launch last year. Meanwhile, Oakland-born singer Kehlani, on the final leg of her self-titled tour, attended the game before performing at Mountain View’s Shoreline Amphitheatre that evening. She shared moments with the team mascot Violet, snapped selfies with players, and posed courtside with San Francisco DJ Noodles, a frequent collaborator on her tours.
“Actually, it’s my first time and that’s not my fault, I’m a busy girl,” Kehlani said in a video posted to Chase Center’s Instagram. “But I would love to come all the time and I’m so thoroughly impressed and so proud that we have a team.”
Other notable attendees included “Star Wars” creator George Lucas, who made a rare public appearance with his wife Mellody Hobson at Game 3 of the Valkyries’ first-round playoff series against the Dallas Wings on Oct. 2. The couple recently opened the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles. Grammy-winning singer Kehlani, rapper E-40, Olympic swimmer Natalia Coughlin, Meena Harris—niece of former Vice President Kamala Harris—and content creator Brittany Hampton were also spotted at the games.
The Valkyries’ playoff surge has drawn attention from the Bay Area’s music and entertainment circles. E-40, a regular at Golden State Warriors games, showed support on Friday, while rapper Too Short performed live during halftime of the franchise’s first-ever home playoff game on Sept. 27.
The team’s success has clearly energized fans and celebrities alike, turning Chase Center’s Ballhalla into a vibrant hub for sports and culture during the postseason. The Valkyries and Aces will meet again for Game 2 of the semifinals on Wednesday, Oct. 6, at Chase Center, with the WNBA Finals set to begin on Oct. 17.
According to Yahoo Sports.