Golden State Valkyries' Natalie Nakase voted WNBA Coach of the Year after reaching playoffs

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Natalie Nakase won over Golden State Valkyries owner Joe Lacob with her fire in a matter of two hours when they sat down last year for a formal interview.

Now, the entire WNBA understands why.

Nakase was voted WNBA Coach of the Year on Wednesday after leading her team to the playoffs, making league history as the only first-year franchise to reach the postseason.

The announcement came ahead of Golden State's home game against the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx. Nakase was recognized by Commissioner Cathy Engelbert at SAP Center, where the team hosted Game 2 of the best-of-three series because 18,064-seat capacity Chase Center in San Francisco was previously booked by the Laver Cup tennis event.

“I never aimed for this type of award, and my dad taught me that early on, that it's all about winning," Nakase said. “And that's why I took this job, because Joe was like, 'If you take this job we've got to win a championship in five years.' That's the goal, so I just wanted to start with that. But what this does, is it reflects on (our) whole organization. It starts at the top.”

The 45-year-old Nakase received 53 of 72 votes from sports writers and broadcasters around the country. She also received AP Coach of the Year this week.

Golden State's 23 wins were a record for an expansion franchise, and the Valkyries sold out all 22 of their games at Chase Center.

Nakase recently shared how late father Gary's influence has stayed with her since his death in 2021, and how she has learned “that I do need to care about my mental health as well.”

“There have always been moments where I've always wanted to call my dad," she said before her team's Sept. 4 playoff-clinching win over the Dallas Wings. "So I am a little bit proud that I've been able to survive, because normally I tear up, I do cry, I still miss my dad. But there's moments where I've been able to kind of hang in there and talk to my dad out loud, where usually I break down. So I'm starting to really build a thicker skin as I'm going through this healing process.

"... I wish my dad was here, especially my first job and being a head coach, and his was part of my dream with him and a goal.”

Nobody else was close to Nakase for this honor. Atlanta Dream coach Karl Smesko was runner-up with 15 votes, while Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon and Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve tied for third.

Lacob, also owner of the NBA's Golden State Warriors, said he realized Nakase was the right choice from the first time he sat down with her over brunch in Las Vegas last year during summer league.

Lacob had three finalists at that point, but with Nakase, an assistant with the Aces, he just knew.

“I knew right then and there, 100%,” Lacob said. “I was sold, done, deal done. I loved her personality. First of all, I knew about her a lot because we had known of her for a long time. She was with the Clippers for 10 years, so we knew we liked her. We were trying to bring her here many years ago in another capacity on the Warriors side. ... She's a fireball. I love her story, I love her style, I love her intensity. She's fantastic."

Nakase credited everyone in the organization — “I wouldn't have gotten this award if everyone didn't do their job to the best of their ability, and that's why this award is so important.”

From Day 1, Nakase appreciated how her players believed in her approach and intense style as a first-year coach and stuck with the defense-first system.

“The players allow me to cuss at them, to yell at them, to push them past their limits,” she said. “Again, without them, we wouldn't have had a winning season and we wouldn't be where I am today now in the second game of a playoff run.”