Valkyries Coach Natalie Nakase Had Strong Message as WNBA Playoffs Near
There are just seven games left in the regular season for the Golden State Valkyries with playoff implications riding on every game.
The Valkyries have a 19-18 record and are currently the seventh seed for the playoffs. Should they hold on to this playoff spot, they would be breaking new ground as the first expansion team in WNBA history to make the playoffs in their first season.
That spot is far from assured, however. The Seattle Storm are in the eighth spot in the standings and are the same amount of games back as the Valkyries, meaning just a single game or loss for either team could have them switching spots. On top of that, the Los Angeles Sparks are 17-19 and a game and a half behind the Valkyries.
With Golden State's playoff hopes in such a precarious position, it's natural that Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase has nothing else on her mind. When she was asked by Kenzo Fukuda of Clutch Points about the possibility of Nakase winning Coach of the Year for her effort with the Valkyries, she made it crystal clear what her focus was on.
"Nobody cares about that [Coach of the Year], honestly. I'm just being dead—. Our goal is to make the playoffs," Nakase said.
That's not to say that Nakase's reaction means she wouldn't be deserving of such an award. The success that Nakase has had in both her first season as a head coach in her career and the Valkyries' first season as a franchise cannot be understated. The team has defied all expectations by already breaking the win record for an Expansion franchise and as before mentioned, securing a playoff berth would be historic in it's own right.
I floated the question of Coach of the Year to Valkyries’ Natalie Nakase.
— Kenzo Fukuda (@kenzofuku) August 27, 2025
“Nobody cares about that. Honestly. I’m just being deadass our goal is to make the playoffs.”
She did suggest the award should be changed to a different title:
“It should be coaching staff of the year.” pic.twitter.com/4kVSiHy0A6
Nakase's efforts have already been recognized once this season when she was selected as Coach of the Month for June, but just as she was quick to praise the effort of her staff then, she had another suggestion for the possibility of her being Coach of the Year.
"It should be Coaching Staff of the Year," Nakase said. "I'm not doing the scouting on my own, I'm not doing the player development on my own... it's a credit to my staff."
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.