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The Golden State Valkyries have appointed their inaugural head coach. Former Las Vegas Aces assistant Natalie Nakase has been chosen to lead the newest WNBA team.
The hiring of Nakase was announced by Golden State earlier this week. She spent the last three seasons on Becky Hammon’s coaching staff in Las Vegas, contributing to the Aces’ consecutive WNBA championship wins in 2022 and 2023.
Nakase expressed her excitement, stating, “Being named the head coach of the Golden State Valkyries is a dream come true for me. I am grateful to (team owner) Joe Lacob, (general manager) Ohemaa Nyanin, and the Golden State front office for trusting me with this role. We are dedicated to fostering a winning ethos based on perseverance, hard work, and competitiveness. Our aim is to progress, compete, and ultimately secure a championship for our fans and the organization.”
In addition to her WNBA experience, Nakase also served as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers from 2018-20.
Nyanin praised Nakase’s appointment, saying, “Natalie is the ideal choice to lead our team as head coach. She embodies every quality we sought in a head coach and possesses extensive knowledge of professional basketball. Her journey reflects the resilience and determination that our team will embody as we strive towards our goal of winning championships.”
Before transitioning to coaching, Nakase played as a point guard at UCLA from 1998-2003. She began her coaching career abroad with the Wolfenbuttel Wildcats (Germany) in 2008.
The Valkyries now stand as the 13th franchise in the WNBA.
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