The Golden State Valkyries reached the WNBA Finals after beating the Las Vegas Aces 87-77 in overtime on Friday to complete a semifinal sweep. Coach Natalie Nakase now faces a championship matchup with the Dream.
The win came on a court Nakase knew well. She was an Aces assistant under Becky Hammon from 2022 to 2024 and saw Las Vegas clinch two Finals berths at home during that stretch. Reflecting on her time there, Nakase described the championships as among her best coaching experiences and said the Aces would remain like family to her.
Nakase took her first head-coaching job with Golden State two years ago, before the Valkyries had a roster. In their debut season, they won 23 games and became the first WNBA expansion team to make the playoffs in its inaugural year. Nakase was named the league’s 2025 Coach of the Year.
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