There's no denying it: the Golden State Valkyrie are having a truly powerhouse season, and it turns out the biggest contributing factor comes down to one thing: every single player on the team is coachable. That's what Natalie Nakase told reporters at Balhalla following Golden State's 84-57 win over the Storm Sunday — and that's the kind of attribute that no one can take away from them.
Nakase made it clear just how proud she is of each member of the team. "I know what these players have done for three months," she explained, "and they work their ... tails off. They work extremely hard."
She added that only that day she and the other coaches were speaking about how lucky they are to have the team they have. "Because every time we go through walk through, or we go through a practice, they are luod, they're screaming, they're communicating," Nakase continued. In fact, it's rare that she has to demand more effort from the team, she continued, and "we're lucky as coaches that we have players that are coachable."
The Valkyries made a lot of surprising decisions during the preseason
Many WNBA fans, analysts, and commentators alike doubted the Valkyries ahead of the 2025 season. The team's Expansion Draft saw Golden State bring in known league vets but no so-called "superstar," and Nakase and the front office brought in a handful of European talent who many Americans weren't as familiar with during free agency.
But it's becoming more than clear that the Valkyries are setting the standard for how any expansion team should operate going forward. By making determined, thoughtful roster selections and by building a consistent, fan-based culture first, Golden State has been able to win games and consistently sell out the Chase Center, arguably one of the most well-known homes for basketball in the world.
The Toronto Tempo and Portland need to pay close attention
If there are two teams who can benefit the most from very closely studying everything Natalie Nakase and the Valkyries have done this season, it's the Tempo and Portland's unnamed WNBA team. While Toronto appears to be on track, the team in Portland appears to be at risk of falling apart before they even really get off the ground.
Last week the Oregonian reported the team's ownership, who are based in California, had fired their franchise president — only a few months after she was initially hired. The news came the same day the franchise revealed more than 10,000 season ticket deposits had been placed, a huge sign that fans in Portland want a great team.