The Golden State Valkyries hired Natalie Nakase as their first head coach, the expansion team announced Thursday.

The Valkyries will begin play in the WNBA with the 2025 season.

Nakase, 44, has more than 16 years of coaching experience, including 10 seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers of the NBA and the past three seasons as first assistant coach with the Las Vegas Aces. During that time, the Aces won consecutive league titles (2022-23).

She begins in her new post on Oct. 21.

“Natalie is the perfect candidate to lead the Valkyries as our head coach,” general manager 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.”

A Los Angeles native, Nakase was a walk-on player at UCLA from 1998-2003. She played two seasons in the National Women’s Basketball League and one season in Germany, where a 2008 knee injury led to her retirement. She got her start in coaching that same year with the Women’s Professional Basketball German League and coached both men’s and women’s teams abroad until joining the Clippers.

“Being named the head coach of the Golden State Valkyries is a lifelong dream come true,” Nakase said. “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.”

–Field Level Media