What new Valkyries coach Nakase told Lacob about his WNBA title timeline originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
After he bought the Warriors, Joe Lacob issued a bold statement, predicting a Golden State NBA title within five years.
His declaration ended up coming true, and now Lacob wants the same for the Valkyries, his WNBA expansion franchise that will begin play in 2025.
That’s a lot of pressure on the Valkyries’ first head coach, Natalie Nakase. But she seems up for the challenge.
“[Lacob] is just passionate. He has energy,” Nakase told Bob Fitzgerald and Kelenna Azubuike during Friday night’s Warriors preseason game broadcast on NBC Sports Bay Area. “He made sure [to say], ‘After five years, we got to bring home a championship.’
“I was like, ‘I got you.’ “
Nakase owns the résumé to back up that confidence, having won back-to-back WNBA titles in 2022 and 2023 as an assistant coach with the Las Vegas Aces.
Nakase was even more enthusiastic about Lacob’s lofty goal during her introductory press conference Thursday, as she recounted her meeting with the Valkyries owner.
“I was like, ‘Hell yeah, we’re going to win a championship!’ ” Nakase recounted, enthusiastically slamming the table.
She won’t be on her own, as Lacob committed to providing the Valkyries with their own practice facility and Chase Center locker room.
“I just remember sitting there thinking, he’s setting me up for success. I can’t fail in this situation,” Nakase said. “I remember leaving our conversation … I was like, “I want to work for Joe. That’s who I want to work for. And not only that, but I want to bring home that first championship for him.’ “
Nakase’s competitive nature was evident throughout her press conference, as she continued to embrace Lacob’s five-year championship ultimatum.
“I just like the challenge that he wants to be No. 1,” Nakase added. “That’s what sports is about. That’s the beauty of sports, is that you want to be No. 1. You want to be a champion. No one goes back and is like, ‘Well, in five years, I want to be No. 2.’
“Nobody remembers second place. Everyone remembers the champion, so that’s what drives me.”
Needless to say, Nakase and Lacob don’t appear interested in mediocrity, which should make the Valkyries a fun team to watch from the start next year.
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