Natalie Nakase Shares 'Best Team' Explanation for Valkyries Waiving Kate Martin
The 2026 WNBA season tips off on May 8. And one of the most compelling matchups of this first night of women's basketball is between the Golden State Valkyries and the Seattle Storm.
The Valkyries were the best and most heartwarming story of last season. Most within the women's basketball community didn't have high expectations for them, given that it was their first season after becoming an expansion franchise. But Golden State blew expectations out of the water, not only by their performance on the court (they made it to the playoffs), but because of how fun it was to watch them play.
The Valkyries played with a gritty, team-first attitude that made them resilient and feel like a lovable underdog. Plus, the San Francisco Bay Area welcomed them with open arms and immediately came to be arguably the most passionate and energetic fan base in the WNBA.
As good as last season went for the Valkyries from a culture-building and PR perspective, the sentiment around them has shifted somewhat, especially over the past few weeks.
One example of this was their decision to trade rookie Flau'jae Johnson on the night of the 2026 WNBA Draft for Marta Suarez, another rookie who the Seattle Storm selected with the No. 16 pick. The Valkyries essentially trading down for a worse player and then cutting Suarez a few weeks after made this a head-scratching move, even after the team's GM and head coach, Natalie Nakase, tried to explain it.
And Golden State didn't do itself any favors when they waived Kate Martin on May 7, who is one of the most beloved players in the league.
Natalie Nakase Addresses Decision to Waive Kate Martin
Nakase spoke with the media before her team's opening night against Flau'jae and the Storm, and spoke about the decision to waive Martin.
"It was very emotional, a lot of heartache. Kate was our family member and someone we cared about deeply. And we still do care deeply about Kate," Nakase said, per an X post from Nathan Canilao.
"It's very hard because we are trying to construct the best team," she added.
#Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase on waiving Kate Martin:
— Nathan Canilao (@nathancanilao) May 8, 2026
"It was very emotional, a lot of heartache. Kate was our family member and someone we cared about deeply. And we still do care deeply about Kate.
"It's very hard because we are trying to construct the best team."
This sentiment is fair enough from Nakase. But the fact that she said waiving Martin is what made the Valkyries put their "best team" together is surely going to irk some of her fans.
Regardless, the Valkyries don't seem to be the WNBA's team that can do no wrong any longer.
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Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.
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