Golden State Valkyries Predicted to Win Two Major WNBA Awards
2025 has been the year of the Golden State Valkyries.
When the season began, few could have predicted just how high the Valkyries would have flown. Expectations have historically been low for the Expansion teams making their debut. For many in the past, the first year has been a rocky landing, dedicated more to teams finding their footing than to bring true threats in the league. finding
The Valkyries have changed all of that. With a roster mostly comprised of players gathered from other teams in the Expansion Draft and a first-year head coach leading the squad, Golden State has defied all expectations.
🚨 THE GOLDEN STATE VALKYRIES ARE PLAYOFFS BOUND 🚨
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 5, 2025
With their win over the Dallas Wings, the @valkyries have clinched a spot in the 2025 WNBA Playoffs presented by @Google! #WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/sf9wt9Eey7
A winning record for Expansion teams and a historic trip to the playoffs have been just some of Golden State's accomplishments. Now, as the season comes to a close, WNBA season awards represent another opportunity for the 2025 Golden State season to cement itself in legend.
Natalie Nakase as Coach of the Year
Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase took the helm for Golden State's inaugural season, looking to strike out on her own as a team leader. Nakase already had the resume to match. An extensive assistant coaching career with several international teams and later with the Los Angeles Clippers led Nakase to an assistant coaching role with the Las Vegas Aces under head coach Becky Hammon.
Together, Nakase and Hammon won back-to-back WNBA championships in 2022-23 with some dominant Aces squads. When the opportunity to coach the Valkyries in their debut season arrived, Nakase jumped at the chance and has made the most of it.
With a team that on paper didn't have any standout stars and a season that was addled with injuries, Nakase has shown her adaptability, motivational skills, and play-calling prowess while leading Golden State to shocking success.
Her efforts were initially recognized with a Coach of the Month award for June, and now it seems that status will be upgraded to Coach of the Year. Nakase is the favorite to win the season award in ESPN's latest update.
"Nakase has also led the development of players such as Burton and Thornton and international rookies like Carla Leite. Golden State has wildly outperformed expectations and is now the first expansion franchise to reach the playoffs in its first season," ESPN's contributors wrote.
Atlanta Dream head coach Karl Smesko is projected as a runner-up to the award in light of the Dream's massive success in 2025, but looking at the rosters each coach had to work with, the youth of Nakase's squad and the uncertainty of their season is proof of the Golden State coach's historic accomplishments.
Veronica Burton as Most Improved Player
Golden State guard Veronica Burton has been one of the biggest stories of the Valkyries in the latter half of the season. Ascending as a team leader and top playmaker in the most crucial stretches of the season with a handful of historic performances, few in the league have been as good as Burton.
Veronica Burton — MIP pic.twitter.com/k5zuFh3hJM
— Golden State Valkyries Fan Report (@valkyriesreport) September 5, 2025
Going from a career role player in her previous three seasons to a key starter with the Valkyries, Burton has started all 43 games she has appeared in and seen her average minutes skyrocket from 12.7 per game with the Connecticut Sun in 2024 to 29.3 with the Valkyries.
With that increased playing time, Burton has jumped up her numbers. Her average points have jumped from 3.1 to 12.0 in 2025 compared to the season prior, while experiencing other career highs in rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks, while shooting at a higher efficiency than she ever has before.
For all these reasons and more, Burton is the unanimous favorite in ESPN's prediction for Most Improved Player. In addition to the national media, Burton's teammates, including guard Kaitlyn Chen and center Iliana Rupert, have been clamoring for the five-foot-nine guard to take home the hardware.
The Valkyries have their sights set on making a deep playoff run in the upcoming tournament, but looking at the regular season, it's clear to see the cases for both Nakase and Burton after such a successful year already for both them and the Valkyries.
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Bio: Jack Haslett is a writer and photographer covering Golden State Valkyries basketball for Sports Illustrated. Jack has previously published work with the Sporting Tribune, the Long Beach Current and DIG Magazine, covering sports, community events and news. A graduate from Long Beach State University, Jack has a passion for writing, photography and all things sports.