Valkyries hire Natalie Nakase as first head coach

Golden State hired the lead assistant of the Las Vegas Aces to lead their new WNBA franchise in 2025

The Golden State Valkyries don’t have a team yet, but they’ve locked down one of the WNBA’s best assistants to be the franchise’s first head coach.

The 44-year-old Nakase spent 10 years coaching in the NBA before joining head coach Becky Hammon’s staff with the Las Vegas Aces before the 2022 WNBA season. That September, she became the first Asian-American coach to win a WNBA title, and in 2023 Nakase and the Aces won it all again.

Valkyries general manager Ohemaa Nyanin and president Jess Smith wasted very little time in locking up Nakase’s services, announcing the hiring just four days after the Aces fell to the New York Liberty in the WNBA semifinals. They may have been worried that the Los Angeles Sparks would try to hire the Orange County native and former UCLA star to fill their own head coaching opening. Regardless, the Valkyries’ leadership structure is in place ahead of the WNBA’s expansion draft Dec. 6.

Nakase was a high school star in Huntington Beach, where she was the Orange County Player of the Year in 1998. But due to her small stature — Nakase stands just 5-foot-2 — she had to walk on at UCLA. Then, she tore her ACL before her freshman year. Still, she went on to become a three-year starter at point guard for the Bruins, then played professionally in the now-defunct National Women’s Basketball League, where she was the first Asian-American player in its history.

After another knee injury ended her playing career, Nakase became an assistant coach in the Japanese professional league, becoming its first female head coach when she took over the Saitama Broncos in 2012. But her ambitions were to coach in the NBA, so she joined the Los Angeles Clippers, working her way up from assistant video coordinator to a player development coach under Doc Rivers. Nakase also had stints as an assistant coach for the club’s G League affiliate, the Agua Caliente Clippers.

Hammon was effusive with praise for her lead assistant.

“Natalie has played a huge role in our Aces’ success over the last three years,” Hammon told reporters. “Her bright mind, relentless work ethic and ability to build relationships with our players has had a lasting impact on not just our organization, players and staff but also throughout the Las Vegas community. We wish her the best in her next great opportunity as the first head coach of the Golden State Valkyries.”

The Valkyries now have a head coach with extensive experience in player development — and in winning titles. Their roster won’t start to take shape for another two months, but Golden State’s new WNBA team has brought in a very promising head coach to lead the way.