Natalie Nakase Changes the Game by Becoming the WNBA’s First Asian American Head Coach

Natalie Nakase posing for a photo with a basketball - Credit: Stephanie Kaloi

Sierra Pope | Multimedia News Intern 

3-minute Read

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – Natalie Nakase never intended to be the WNBA’s (Women's National Basketball Association) first head coach of Asian descent. When the Golden State Valkyries announced their inaugural coaching selection for their new expansion team in October last year, she swiftly became history.

“I think being the first means I need to make sure I open as many doors as possible,” Nakase told JoySauce.

The Golden State Valkyries’ head coach announcement graphic - Credit: Golden State Valkyries (Instagram)

Born and raised in Orange County, California, Nakase started playing basketball at the age of six. At five foot one, she graduated from Marina High School and was a walk-on at the University of California, Los Angeles, eventually evolving into a vital part of the team’s starting lineup. After graduation, Nakase played in a couple of leagues around California before heading overseas to Germany. After enduring a career-ending knee injury, she began her coaching journey.

Natalie Nakase playing basketball at the University of California, Los Angeles - Credit: Michelle Uzeta

However, the success is bigger than Nakase. She has been using every moment to honor her late father, whose spirit continues to prepare her, instilling what she calls “the basketball heart.” For Nakase, healing from that type of grief made everything, including the basketball pressures, less scary. 

“With the Golden State Valkyries, I see it as an opportunity,” Nakase proclaimed to JoySayce. “I don't see it as pressure. I see it as like, ‘I get to do this.’”

As Nakase steps into the upcoming season, she hopes to inspire Asian Americans to pursue head coaching roles across professional sports, knowing that each step forward will break the unbearable silence while creating a pathway for future generations to believe they belong at the top.

“I’m taking it on as like, ‘How can I help? How many people can I touch? How many people can I motivate?’” Nakase expressed to JoySauce. “I really think this is a space for anyone. Representation matters. If you see her, you could be her.”

A quote from Ohemaa Nyanin, the Golden State Valkyries’ General Manager, describing Natalie Nakase - Credit: Golden State Valkyries (Instagram)