The Indiana Fever might have suffered a disappointing 75-63 loss to the Golden State Valkyries Sunday, but that didn't stop Stephanie White from heaping praise on first-year WNBA coach Natalie Nakase. "I think she’s done an outstanding job," White said while speaking to reporters ahead of the game.
"You even think back to her and [GM Ohemaa Nyanin] and what they’ve done in terms of putting the team together," she continued. "The right pieces that fit together that play the style that they want to play on both ends of the floor. That has experience and players who know how to know and understand to play a role in this league. They’ve put together a really good, tough squad. I think she’s done an outstanding job."
Nakase's first year as a head coach has been nothing short of expectation-defying — a reality that is being more broadly recognized by players, coaches, and GMs throughout the league.
Natalie Nakase built the Valkyries from the ground up
Nakase and the Valkyries' coaching staff have truly built the team from the ground up from day one. Despite the fact that many WNBA fans weren't as familiar with the players the team drafted during last year's expansion draft, the Valkyries have steadily pushed forward and proven that everyone involved with making those selections knew exactly what they were doing.
Though Nakase is the first to insist she isn't concerned about winning this year's Coach of the Year award, she's made a strong case for herself just by showing up and supporting her team all season. Nakase constantly evaluates what's happening on the floor and adjusts as needed, and has managed to lead her team through EuroBasket, which saw the departure of key members of the team as they traveled to Europe to participate; through surprise roster changes, like waiving Julie Vanloo; and through injuries, which have meant both Monique Billings and Kayla Thornton have been missing in action for weeks.
Many didn't expect the Valkyries to have a successful first season. Part of those expectations were built on the experiences of previous expansion teams — historically, it's been pretty challenging to enter the league and start winning games from the jump — but the Valkyries have been special since day one, and have benefited enormously from having the full-throttled support of owner Joe Lacob.
The team offers a blueprint for how future expansion teams, including the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, can move as they build their own brands and community. While it will be tough to replicate exactly what's made the Valkyries so successful this season, there are elements from their story that can be folded into those of the Tempo, Fire, and every team that joins the league going forward.