WNBA: Golden State Valkyries rent Natalie Nakase as head coach

On Thursday, the Golden State Valkyries named the franchise’s first head coach, 44-year outdated Natalie Nakase.

Nakase arrives from the Las Vegas Aces, the place she served for 3 years as an assistant coach, serving to the crew win back-to-back championships in 2022 and 2023. The California native who performed at UCLA (1998-2003), has gathered tons of teaching expertise by assistant and head teaching gigs in Germany and Japan, along with serving as an assistant coach for the NBA G League’s Agua Caliente Clippers (2017-18, 2021-22) and NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers (2018-20).

Ohemaa Nyanin, basic supervisor of the Valkyries, stated of the rent:

Natalie is the proper candidate to guide the Valkyries as our head coach. She exemplifies each character trait in what we had been searching for in a head coach and possesses deep experience throughout skilled basketball. Her journey is consultant of the grit and perseverance that our crew will embody to realize our final purpose of successful championships.

Earlier than making their head coach rent, the group revealed the plans for and renderings of the crew’s locker room at Chase Middle and follow facility in Oakland. Each show that preparations for his or her freshman season are in full swing. The Valkyries are going to have their very own, V-shaped locker room, which is “symbolizing the unity of Valkyries in flight.” The coaching facility in downtown Oakland, which options two full-size courts and 17 basketball hoops in whole, belonged to the NBA’s Golden State Warriors till 2019.

On the group’s funding in its infrastructure, Nyanin has emphasised:

The funding that Golden State has made into each the Valkyries Observe Facility in Oakland, and the locker room in San Francisco, underscores this group’s dedication to excellence. Connecting each side of the Bay with elite services will set the tone for our athletes, teaching employees and medical groups, as we construct a roster that may compete for championships.

Sponsorship offers are also already in place, with Kaiser Permanente changing into the crew’s core jersey associate and JPMorgan Chase serving the crew’s protect uniform associate. However, we’re nonetheless ready for the jerseys to be unveiled. It is going to be attention-grabbing to see how related (or how totally different) the precise jerseys shall be from fan-created mockups. Regardless, with a coach, services and sponsorships, together with the enlargement draft on Dec. 6, the Valkyries are shifting in the direction of absolutely changing into the WNBA’s thirteenth franchise.