WNBA NEWS - Valkyries' Natalie Nakase wins WNBA Coach of the Year
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GOLDEN STATE VALKYRIES rookie WNBA coach Natalie Nakase WNBA Coach of the Year - (WNBA Photo)
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Miriam Adelson at the Republican Jewish Coalition's 2023 Annual Leadership Summit at the Venetian Convention & Expo Center in Las Vegas, Nevada - (Gage Skidmore photo)
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Los Angeles Lakers Magic Johnson and Boston Celtics Larry Bird in Game two of the 1985 NBA Finals at Boston Garden Date 30 May 1985 - Steve Lipofsky www.Basketballphoto.com
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Nakase received 53 of 72 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters - With Nakase leading the way, Golden State set the WNBA record for victories by an expansion team in its first season with 23. The Valkyries (23-21) also became the first expansion team to qualify for the WNBA Playoffs
NEW YORK, NY USA
Wednesday September 17, 2025
Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase has been named the 2025 State Street Investment Management SPY WNBA Coach of the Year, the WNBA announced today. She has earned the honor in her first season as a WNBA head coach. Nakase received 53 of 72 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Atlanta Dream head coach
Karl Smesko finished in second place with 15 votes. Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon and Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve tied for third place with two votes each.
With Nakase leading the way, Golden State set the WNBA record for victories by an expansion team in its first season with 23. The Valkyries (23-21) also became the first team to qualify for the WNBA Playoffs presented by Google in its inaugural season.
After a 2-5 start to the season, Golden State won seven of its next nine games. That 7-2 stretch led to Nakase being honored as the WNBA Coach of the Month for June. As the Valkyries competed for a playoff spot in the final weeks of the season, Nakase guided them to winning streaks of four games from Aug. 9-15 and five games from Aug. 24 - Sept. 4.
Under Nakase, the Valkyries held opponents to league lows of 76.3 points per game and 40.5% shooting from the field. On offense, Golden State made a WNBA-high 9.7 three-pointers per game. Among Valkyries players, guard Veronica Burton won the 2025 Kia WNBA Most Improved Player Award and forward Kayla Thornton was selected to the AT&T WNBA All-Star Game for the first time.
Nakase was hired as the Valkyries' head coach in October 2024 after serving three seasons as an Aces assistant coach. She helped Las Vegas win back-to-back WNBA championships in 2022 and 2023. Before her stint with the Aces, Nakase spent 10 seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers, finishing her tenure as an assistant coach.
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