The Golden State Valkyries have appointed Natalie Nakase because the workforce’s head coach, the group introduced Wednesday. Nakase, a seasoned coach with greater than 16 years {of professional} expertise, takes the helm following a profitable tenure with the Las Vegas Aces and the Los Angeles Clippers. Her official begin date with the Valkyries is about for October 21.
Nakase joins the Valkyries after serving three seasons as first assistant coach with the Aces, the place she performed a pivotal function in main the workforce to back-to-back WNBA championships in 2022 and 2023. Throughout her time in Las Vegas, the Aces constantly excelled defensively, topping the league’s defensive rankings in 2023 with a mark of 97.7. Nakase’s obligations included in-game changes, rotation administration, clock choices, and scouting for each collegiate and worldwide expertise. The Aces compiled an 87-29 document during the last three seasons, with a 19-6 playoff mark throughout her tenure.
“Being named the pinnacle coach of the Golden State Valkyries is a lifelong dream come true,” Nakase mentioned in an announcement. “I’m grateful to Joe Lacob, Ohemaa Nyanin, and the Golden State entrance workplace for entrusting me with this accountability. We’re dedicated to constructing a profitable tradition of grit, onerous work, and competitiveness. We are going to attempt to enhance, compete, and finally convey house a championship for our followers and this group.”
Nakase will report on to Valkyries Common Supervisor Ohemaa Nyanin, who praised Nakase’s in depth expertise and management.
“Natalie is the right candidate to guide the Valkyries as our head coach,” Nyanin mentioned. “She exemplifies each character trait we have been searching for and possesses deep experience throughout skilled basketball. Her journey is consultant of the grit and perseverance that our workforce will embody to attain our final objective of profitable championships.”
Nakase brings a wealth of expertise from her 10 seasons with the Clippers, the place she labored in numerous roles, together with as an assistant coach and participant growth coach, contributing to each the NBA workforce and its G League affiliate. Her teaching profession started in 2008 with the Wolfenbüttel Wildcats in Germany’s Ladies’s Skilled Basketball League. She later made historical past as the primary girl to function a head coach in Japan’s Males’s Skilled Basketball League with the Saitama Broncos.
The Los Angeles native performed school basketball at UCLA, the place she earned a beginning function as a walk-on and served as workforce captain for 3 seasons. She later performed professionally within the U.S. and Germany earlier than a knee damage ended her taking part in profession in 2008.
Nakase’s hiring marks a major step ahead for the Valkyries, who have been introduced because the WNBA’s thirteenth franchise on October 5, 2023. The workforce will take part within the league’s growth draft on December 6, choosing gamers from a pool made out there by the 12 present groups.
