Natalie Nakase guided Golden State Valkyries to an unprecedented playoff run, becoming the WNBA Coach of the Year as a first-year expansion team with 23 wins and full Chase Center attendance. Her leadership blends fire with resilience, honoring her late father while prioritizing mental health. Owner Joe Lacob’s early faith and the brunch-turned-hire narrative frame a season that rewrote expectations for an expansion franchise.

As the Valkyries prepare for a playoff tilt with Minnesota, the broader landscape features seasoned tacticians like Smesko, Hammon and Reeve, underscoring a season where bold, fresh voices collide with proven schemes in a league-wide push for postseason disruption.

Napheesa Collier scored 20 on a dominant all-around effort as Minnesota blasted Golden State 101-72 to start the WNBA playoff series. The Lynx flipped a seven-point first-quarter deficit into a 47-40 halftime edge, then overwhelmed the Valkyries with stifling defense and a 15-0 bench surge by Jessica Shepard and Natisha Hiedeman. Minnesota never looked back, tightening the screws in the third quarter and pulling away behind steady contributions from the entire roster.

Kayla McBride sparked the lead-slash, and Cheryl Reeve’s club carried the momentum through a decisive second half. The win sets up Game 2 in San Jose at SAP Center on Wednesday as Minnesota eyes a series-clinching performance while the Valkyries head home after their first postseason loss.