The Golden State Valkyries officially have a leader.
Natalie Nakase was named head coach of the WNBA franchise, which will begin play in the 2025 season, the organization announced Thursday.
That’s our Head Coach!
— Golden State Valkyries (@wnbagoldenstate) October 10, 2024
Welcome, Natalie Nakase 🏀 pic.twitter.com/WlaHiCypyM
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Nakase, 41, played two seasons with the San Jose Spiders (2005) and San Diego Siege (2006) in the NWBL (National Women's Basketball League), where she was the league's first Asian-American player. She then interned in the NBA with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2012 before eventually becoming the team's video coordinator.
Nakase served as assistant coach for the 2014 Summer League tournament, becoming the first woman to sit on the bench as an NBA assistant.
Nakase then became the assistant coach for the Clippers' G-League affiliate, the Agua Caliente Clippers, for the 2017-18 season before being promoted to player development assistant coach for the NBA Clippers the following season.
Finally, Nakase joined the WNBA as an assistant to Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon in 2022. The Aces won the league championship that year and again in 2023.
The WNBA will hold an expansion draft on Dec. 6, when the Valkyries will begin building their roster by selecting one player from each of the 12 existing teams' list of non-protected players.