Zendaya Steals the Show at WNBA Finals as She Cheers Wildly for Golden State Valkyries

Zendaya stole the spotlight at Chase Center in San Francisco on Monday 26 October as she leapt to her feet, thundersticks in hand, to roar on the Golden State Valkyries in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals against the Atlanta Dream, with the best-of-seven series delicately tied at 2-2.

The Oakland-born actress cheered loudly for the home side throughout the second half, according to an SFGATE reporter inside the arena. The reporter said she used the purple thundersticks handed to fans in her section.

The team appeared to send a gift to her seats during the third quarter, though what it was is unclear. The crowd noise rose again when she appeared on the big screen.

The Valkyries levelled the series by winning Game 4 in Atlanta. The winner of Game 5 would move one victory from the title. Game 6 would be played in Atlanta.

The team, which began play in 2025, are in their first Finals in only their second season. They earned home-court advantage as the higher seed after sweeping the Las Vegas Aces in the semi-finals, while the Dream swept the New York Liberty.

Burton Hoped for Zendaya's Hollywood Visit

Zendaya's appearance followed a public hint from Valkyries guard Veronica Burton. In a video posted last week, Burton said she would be 'nervous' if Zendaya and her partner, the actor Tom Holland, attended a game, according to the original reporting. It has not been confirmed whether Holland was at Monday's game.

Zendaya, who first found fame on Disney Channel's Shake It Up and KC Undercover, went on to star in HBO's Euphoria and in Marvel's Spider-Man: Homecoming. She is a long-time supporter of Bay Area basketball and has previously been seen at Golden State Warriors games.

Her presence is viewed by league backers as a boost for a competition that has long sought the wider cultural profile enjoyed by the NBA. The Valkyries have led the WNBA in attendance in each of their two seasons at the 18,064-seat arena, which the club calls 'Ballhalla'.

Bay Area Figures Join Valkyries Finals Crowd

Zendaya was not the only notable guest. The Game 5 crowd included a number of local and sporting figures, according to reports from the arena.

The rapper E-40, who was born Earl Stevens and is from Vallejo, was reported to have been in attendance. He is often described as an unofficial ambassador for the Bay Area and has been a regular at Valkyries games this season. The Bay Area rapper and producer P-Lo was also present.

Several pioneers of women's sport were in the building. They included Ruthie Bolton, the former Sacramento Monarchs guard who won Olympic gold with the United States in 1996, and Candace Parker.

The seven-time WNBA All-Star and three-time champion was the first overall pick in the 2008 draft and won Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season. Parker was reported to be with her son.

Kristi Yamaguchi, the 1992 Olympic figure skating champion, was also present. She was born in Hayward and raised in Fremont.

So was Megan Rapinoe, the two-time Women's World Cup winner and 2012 Olympic gold medallist, who grew up in northern California. Former NFL running back Robert Turbin, who won Super Bowl XLVIII with the Seattle Seahawks and was born in Oakland, was acknowledged during the game.

Attendance and revenue figures for the night have not been confirmed. Some social media users claimed to have spotted further celebrities in private suites, but those sightings could not be independently verified.