Valkyries Coach Accepts Blame as Calls Mount for WNBA to Make Changes

After an impressively positive start to its inaugural season, the Golden State Valkyries have lost four of their last five games, culminating in a 95-64 loss at Connecticut against the league-worst Sun. Amidst greater conversation about the league’s condensed scheduling, the Valkyries will hope to get back on track in the second game of a five game road trip that continues Tuesday against the Atlanta Dream.

The Valkyries committed 23 turnovers and trailed by as much as 31 points in Sunday’s loss to Connecticut who improved to 4-20 on the season. After losing All-Star forward Kayla Thornton to a season-ending knee injury, the Valkyries mounted an all-around team victory Friday evening at home against the Dallas Wings–with four Golden State players scoring in double figures.

With a quick turnaround, the Valkyries flew across the country to Connecticut for a Sunday afternoon contest that got out of hand early. First year head coach Natalie Nakase acknowledged that the cross-country trip played a factor in the devastating loss. 

“I’ve got to do a better job,” Nakase told reporters post game on Sunday. “I have to do a better job of navigating this type of West Coast to East Coast trip.”

Questions about the road trip loom amongst growing calls from media members and players for the WNBA to improve scheduling for players. Two All-Stars–Caitlin Clark and Satou Sabally–sat out last week’s All-Star weekend for rest and recovery from injuries. Sabally specifically called out WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert in June, calling the condensed schedule “irresponsible”. 

On Saturday, former All-Star and current analyst Rebecca Lobo called on the WNBA Player’s Association to address condensed scheduling with the league when the collective bargaining agreement ends at the end of the 2025 season.

“A priority of @TheWNBPA in the new CBA has to be addressing the condensed schedule,” she wrote in a post on X, “This season there are too many games in too short a period of time.”

Per numbers from ESPN researcher Garrett Gastfield, in the last four seasons, the average number of days between games has decreased from 4.03, to just 2.70.  The regular season is 44 games this year, four more than last season.

“How can I be better?” Nakase continued.  “How can I teach guys how to manage waking up at 9 o’clock in the morning and what does that day look like? I kind of gave a day to recover, but maybe they just need more instruction… I probably should’ve gotten them out [for some] quick, fresh air or something like that, and maybe that would’ve generated a little bit more energy.”

In a bright spot for the Valkyries, newly activated center Iliana Rupert finished with 14 points and four rebounds in 22 minutes of action–adding some necessary minutes in the paint without Thornton.  

The Valkyries, now at 11-13, are still in 9th place, just behind the 12-12 Washington Mystics for the final playoff spot with 20 games to go.