Nobody anticipated the Golden State Valkyries to make the playoffs.
ESPN projected the Valkyries to be the worst workforce within the WNBA.
The Athletic projected they’d be the third-worst.
However these projections had been method off. As a substitute, Golden State is on monitor to complete the season with the league’s Sixth-best file, securing a playoff spot with every week to spare. It’s a greater file than the Seattle Storm, who’re headlined by veteran All-Stars like Skylar Diggins, Nneka Ogwumike, and Gabby Williams. It’s a greater file than the Kelsey Plum-led Los Angeles Sparks, and the Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah-Boston led Indiana Fever.
The success has come even if their solely first-round 2025 draft decide, Juste Joyce, remained abroad this season.
It’s come even if their main scorer, Kayla Thornton, suffered a season-ending harm halfway by means of the 12 months.
It’s come even if they largely whiffed in free company, securing just one large identify (Tiffany Hayes).
And, although we’ll by no means have the ability to pinpoint precisely why Golden State has outplayed so many different groups this season, a lot of the credit score has to go to their completely ready head coach, Natalie Nakase. It’s clear that Natalie Nakase has put collectively an unimaginable rookie teaching season.
As media members, it may be robust to guage teaching. We’re not within the locker room at halftime or within the movie room at observe. And, we are able to’t at all times glean how a lot poor execution is as a result of workers and the way a lot is just the gamers struggling to implement ideas that had been successfully offered.
However oftentimes, it’s one thing you’ll be able to really feel – how gamers reply when a coach pulls them to the sidelines, the authenticity with which they gush about their coach to the press when given the chance.
On the Valkyries, Veronica Burton performs with a pleasure she’s by no means exhibited within the WNBA. She performs freely. Rookies Carla Leite and Janelle Salaün don’t usually current as first-year gamers.
Practically your entire Valkyries roster is overachieving. Burton gained the Most Improved Participant, having upped her common from 3.1 to 12 factors per recreation. Cecilia Zandalasini has upped her common from 4.6 to 11.2 factors per recreation. Leite and Salaün are adjusting to the WNBA superbly.
And the Valkyries are profitable. That’s crucial factor.
They’ve gained extra video games than any growth workforce in WNBA historical past, and everybody has taken discover.
In speaking to folks across the league, there’s a powerful sentiment {that a} ton of Golden State’s success ought to be tied to their head coach.
Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve — one of many winningest coaches in WNBA historical past — just lately praised what the Valkyries have been capable of do below Nakase in a pregame press convention.
“Once you mix a degree of compete with expertise and buy-in, that’s essentially the most harmful factor you will get,” Reeve stated.
And in an interview with the Chicago Tribune final week, when Angel Reese sounded off about her personal workforce’s degree of compete, she used the Valkyries as a reference level.
“Watching Golden State — no offense, however I don’t assume they’re extra gifted than us on paper,” Reese stated. “However they play arduous as hell.”
