The Golden State Valkyries took the WNBA by surprise in 2025. Although it is the first season of the extension team, the Valkyries gathered to go 23-21 and make the playoffs. At the center of the team’s excellence, the first head coach Natalie Nakase.
Nakase’s excellence was recognized on Wednesday because it was appointed coach of the WNBA year.
Nakase received 53 of the 72 votes of first place, beating the head coach of Atlanta Dream, Karl Pmesko – who obtained 15 votes – for the prize. Las Vegas AS coach Becky Hammon and Minnesota lynx coach Cheryl Reeve were the other two coaches to receive votes for the price. Hammon and Reeve each received two votes.
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After a slow start, in which the Valkyries opened the 2-5 season, Golden State improved over the year. Directed by an excellent defense, which limited the teams to a 76.3-point Ligue-Low per game, the Valkyries won four sequences of victories of at least three or more victories to propel themselves in the last place of the playoffs.
On the field, the team was led by Kayla Thornton and Veronica Burton, two players who took major steps in their first seasons under Nakase. Thornton, who only collected 5.5 points per game on average last season, saw his score go to 14.0 points per game, leading the team before undergoing an end of season injury in July. Burton was just as impressive, with an average of 11.9 points, 6.0 assists and 4.4 rebounds after being a part -time player with Connecticut Sun last season. This performance has earned Burton the Wnba Most improved players Monday.
Nakase’s success during the first year was not a fact. In addition to the uncertain alignment of the team entering the season, Nakase had never been a job at the professional level. After graduating from the UCLA in 2003, where she was a playmaker in the female basketball team, Nakase played in the NWBL and in Germany. She tried for the Phoenix Mercury in 2007 but did not cut.
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Nakase entered training in 2008 and finally became assistant at the Los Angeles Clippers in 2018. In 2022, she joined the Las Vegas Aces as a member of the staff of Becky Hammon. Nakase was a team assistant to the Valkyries hiring in October.
After an excellent first season, Nakase started – and the Valkyries – on the WnBA radar. Although expectations are low for Golden State after the team has entered the playoffs, the team will not take anyone by surprise next season.
It will be on Nakase and the team’s return players to prove that their beginnings were not lucky. If Wednesday’s voting results are an indication, those around the WNBA believe that Nakase has what it takes to continue building a winner in Golden State.
