UCLA Women's Basketball: Former Bruin Hired as Head Coach of WNBA Expansion Team

Valentina Martinez | Oct 10, 2024

May 25, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Las Vegas Aces first assistant coach Natalie Nakase reacts during the first half Las Vegas Aces at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Golden State Valkyries have chosen Natalie Nakase to be the head coach of the new team. The expansion franchise commences play next season.

Nakase is a former Bruin and Los Angeles native. The point guard was a walk-on at UCLA in 1998 and served as a team captain for three seasons.

Nakase spent the last three years as an assistant with the Las Vegas Aces. She helped the Aces win back-to-back WNBA championships in 2022 and 2023.

“Being named the head coach of the Golden State Valkyries is a lifelong dream come true,” Nakase told the AP. “I am thankful to Joe Lacob, Ohemaa Nyanin, and the Golden State front office for entrusting me with this responsibility. We are committed to building a winning culture of grit, hard work, and competitiveness. We will strive to improve, compete, and ultimately bring home a championship for our fans and this organization.”

Prior to her three years in Las Vegas, Nakase spent 11 seasons in various roles with the Los Angeles Clippers. Her last role before her departure from the NBA team was as an assistant coach and player development coach.

Her position was a dual role with the Clippers and their G League affiliate, the Agua Caliente Clippers.

“Natalie is the perfect candidate to lead the Valkyries as our head coach,” Golden State GM Ohemaa Nyanin said. “She exemplifies every character trait in what we were looking for in a head coach and possesses deep expertise across professional basketball. Her journey is representative of the grit and perseverance that our team will embody to achieve our ultimate goal of winning championships.”

Nakase's coaching career began in 2008 with the Women's Professional Basketball German League where she served as head coach for the Wolfenbuttel Wildcats for two seasons. From 2010-11, she served as an assistant coach for the Tokyo Apache in the Men's Professional Basketball Japan League.

Nakase became a head coach in 2011 for the Saitama Broncos. The achievement made her the first woman to serve as head coach in the league.

The former Bruin played professional hoops for two years in the NWBL with the San Jose Spiders and San Diego Siege.

The interview process with the Valkyries began around the Olympic break. As soon as the season ended with the Aces, she headed to the Bay Area for a permanent stay.

“I literally was in meetings two days ago with the Las Vegas Aces. So it was a quick change, after I found out,” she said. “It’s exciting. And obviously as soon as I heard the news, I mean, I was jumping for joy and was ready to go.”