Head Coach of the Golden State Valkyries Natalie Nasake has never shied away from breaking barriers.
After a successful college tenure playing for the UCLA Bruins, Nasake retired from playing and set her sights on coaching. She joined the NBA in 2018, serving as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers with Doc Rivers, producing a winning season and clinching a spot in the playoffs. A few years later, Nasake joined the WNBA as an assistant coach under Becky Hammond for the Las Vegas Aces, leading the team to back to back championship victories in 2022 and 2023.
Everything changed when Nasake received a phone call from General Manager of the Golden State Valkyries Ohemaa Nyanin asking her to become the first head coach of the newly created team.
“I had a little bit of anxiety and nervousness. Is this the right thing to do?” Nasake told the San Francisco Standard. “I was still with the Aces and committed to everyone in that whole organization.”
Nasake wrestled with the idea of leaving everything she had built over the last two seasons- a winning team, an unbeatable culture, to start a brand new journey on her own.
When Nasake ultimately said yes, she wasn’t just proving things to herself- she was redefining professional basketball. Nasake became the first Asian American Head Coach in the WNBA,
“I don’t want to just be the first. I want to be legendary.” Naska told PEOPLE, hoping to continue to break down barriers for Asian American Women.
Under Nasake’s guidance, the Valkyries have brought their opponents to WNBA lows of 76.3 points per game and 40.5% shooting from the field. Her players have continued to shine, with Veronica Burton winning the Kia WNBA Most Improved player and Thomson being selected for the AT&T All Star Game for the first time (WBNA, 2025).
In September, Nasake was named the 2025 SPY WNBA Coach of the Year.
Nasake knows the world is watching and has used this pressure to drive her further. While the nerves are there, Nasake knows that she’s making history and paving the way for future generations.