Golden State Valkyries’ Natalie Nakase voted WNBA Coach of the Year after reaching playoffs
September 17, 2025
Natalie Nakase won over Golden State Valkyries owner Joe Lacob with her fire in a matter of two hours when they sat down last year for a formal interview. Now, the entire WNBA understands why. Nakase was named WNBA Coach of the Year after leading her team to the playoffs, making league history as the only first-year franchise to reach the postseason. The announcement came ahead of Golden State’s home game against the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx.