Why Valkyries' Natalie Nakase is a slam dunk for WNBA Coach of the Year - again originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Natalie Nakase already won WNBA Coach of the Year in 2025, in her first year on the job with the Golden State Valkyries.
She should successfully defend her award in 2026, as the Valkyries barrel toward the playoffs and a possible run to the WNBA Finals.
In only its second season of existence, Golden State is "the best of the rest" behind the rampant Minnesota Lynx.
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The Valkyries put the clamps on Paige Bueckers and the slumping Dallas Wings on Monday. The league's No.1 defense held Dallas to nine points in the second quarter -- and though Golden State wasn't quite at its best, the Valks won 78-70 at Chase Center, where they have a 15-4 home record -- tops in the WNBA.
Golden State is 25-9 overall, three games behind the Lynx for the top overall seed in the playoffs -- and other than the marquee addition of Gabby Williams, Nakase has worked with largely the same roster as the expansion team of 2025.
The Valkyries are the fourth franchise to make the playoffs in each of their first two seasons, joining the Houston Comets, Charlotte Sting, and Phoenix Mercury — which all three did it in the first two WNBA seasons (1997-98). https://t.co/LutmkzoEkI
— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) August 18, 2026
Nakase, a former assistant on Becky Hammon's staff in Las Vegas, has overseen the league's top scoring defense and its most efficient defense as well. Internal improvements from Veronica Burton, Janelle Salaun and Kaitlyn Chen have made the Valkyries deeper and more dangerous after their maiden playoff run came to an end against Minnesota last fall.
Despite playing at the league's slowest pace on offense, Golden State this time around looks primed to go a step further. No team since 1998 has claimed the WNBA title within its first two seasons in the league. The Valkyries' defense -- and Nakase's inspired coaching -- can change that.