Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase answers questions during a press conference before her team’s WNBA basketball game against the Las Vegas Aces, where she spent three seasons as an assistant coach, Saturday, June 7, 2025, at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif. (Yalonda M. James/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Natalie Nakase was named the Associated Press WNBA Coach of the Year after guiding the expansion Los Angeles Valkyries to one of the most successful inaugural seasons in league history.
Nakase, 45, led the Valkyries to a 24-16 regular season record and a No. 4 seed in the playoffs—an unprecedented feat for a first-year franchise. The team’s fast-paced, defensive-minded identity reflected Nakase’s disciplined coaching style and earned her widespread respect around the league.
Nakase is the first coach of an expansion team to win the AP’s Coach of the Year award and the second woman of Asian descent to earn the honor in professional basketball.
A former assistant with the Las Vegas Aces and longtime contributor to the Clippers’ player development staff, Nakase brought more than a decade of professional coaching experience into her role with the Valkyries. She was named head coach in 2024 after the WNBA announced its 13th franchise.
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