Natalie Nakase received an SMS from Warriors of the Golden State coach Steve Kerr in October after being introduced as the team’s head coach Valkyries of the Golden Statethe WNBA’s 13th and newest franchise.
“The first day of my press conference, (Steve Kerr) texted me. He said, ‘Nat, if you need anything… you’re always welcome,'” recalled Nakase on USA TODAY Sports on Thursday. “Why wouldn’t I pick his brain. He’s won four championships. I’d be a fool not to use Steve (Kerr).”
Nakase has worked alongside many brilliant basketball minds throughout his coaching career. Nakase served as an assistant coach under The Aces of Las Vegas head coach Becky Hammon over the past two seasons and has been a key part of the Aces’ back-to-back WNBA championships (2022, 2023). Prior to that, Nakase spent 10 seasons with the Los Angeles Clippersmoving from video coordinator to assistant coach and player development coach for the Clippers and G League affiliate the Agua Caliente Clippers – highlighting the grit and perseverance Nakase wants her team to embody on and off the court.
“They have to play like their lives depend on it,” Nakase said.
GOLDEN STATE VALKYRIES: The new WNBA team selects its players for 2025 in the expansion draft. See the list
Nakase and the Valkyries took a major step toward building their franchise by selecting their inaugural team via the WNBA Expansion Project on December 6. Nakase selected 11 players, each selected from a different team. She has the opportunity to fill out their roster through the 2025 WNBA Draft and free agency.
“What excites me about building a team from the ground up is that we choose our players intentionally,” Nakase said. “I don’t inherit anything.”
Valkyries’ inaugural roster includes four WNBA champions — center Temi Fagbenle and forward Cecilia Zandalasini (Minnesota Lynx2017); center/forward Iliana Rupert (The Aces of Las Vegas2022) and forward Kayla Thornton (Freedom of New York2024). Although expansion teams have not had success in their first season in recent years — THE Dream of Atlanta went 4-30 in its inaugural season in 2008 and the Chicago Sky went 5-29 record in 2006 — Nakase is counting on his team’s championship experience and ability to compete from the start.
“It’s not just a skill set that we’re looking for. I’m looking for an ultra competitive player. I’m looking for that player that dives on the floor and gets the rebound,” Nakase said. “High character. I look for do they hug their teammates or do they greet their teammates? Just put the team before yourself at all times. A mindset that is never satisfied.”
Nakase has always had a chip on his shoulder. The 5’2 guard wasn’t heavily recruited coming out of high school. She received a full scholarship to UC Irvine, but ultimately declined to continue her education at UCLA. After recovering from a knee injury, Nakase became a starter for three seasons, averaging 5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals.
Nakase played two seasons in the now-defunct National Women’s Basketball League (NWBL) with the San Jose Spiders (2005) and San Diego Headquarters (2006). She competed overseas in Germany (2007-08) before another knee injury ended her playing career. Nakase moved into coaching, with stints in Germany and Tokyo, and landed with the Clippers in 2012 and the Aces in 2022. She learned something from each coach along the way.
“Tyron Lue taught me that you have to be able to communicate with every player,” Nakase said. “The best thing (Becky Hammon) taught me was to coach with an open heart. She has such a big heart. When you talk with her, you feel like you can lean on her and him say anything because of the way she approaches everything is huge, which is why we quickly joined the Las Vegas Aces.
The Valkyries haven’t hit the ground yet, but they’ve already gotten their fans on board. The team surpassed 15,000 season ticket deposits in July to become the first team in women’s sports history to surpass that figure, the team announced. In November, the Valkyries exceeded 20,000 ticket deposits.
“Imagine that in an arena. “It’s unreal,” Nakase said. “Even before the expansion draft, I was walking around and they were like, ‘Oh my God, that’s the coach of the Valkyries.’ I have the impression that they recognize me? »
The Valkyries alert the The Sparks of Los Angeles on May 16.
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This article was originally published on USA TODAY: Golden State Valkyries coach talks ‘never satisfied’ mindset for WNBA
