Few know that Natalie Nakase was a walk-on at UCLA, yet became the team captain. Later, she compiled a decade of coaching experience with the NBA and overseas before moving to the WNBA. That background mattered when she took over the Golden State Valkyries in October 2024. Now, in her first season as head coach, she’s been named the 2025 WNBA Coach of the Year. Nakase earned 53 of 72 votes after guiding the expansion team to a 23-21 record and a playoff berth. And her relationship with guard Veronica Burton has been central to that success.

Just like her coach, Burton took a coveted WNBA title this year. She was awarded the 2025 WNBA Most Improved Player. Deserved so, as she took her averages from about 3.1 points per game last season to roughly 11.9 this season, along with increases in assists and rebounds. Under Nakase, Burton has had far more responsibility: starting all 44 regular-season games, becoming the floor general, and often executing Nakase’s defensive and offensive vision on the court. Both coach and player have been credited with bringing Golden State into the playoffs on the court. However, the two can be farther apart off the court.

Burton and Nakase are two different personalities off the court. The Valkyries’ guard is a smiling, kind-hearted person, while Nakase is a driven and passionate one. Even Burton admits that her coach was intense at the start. But over time, she started to grow used to it. Talking about Natalie Nakase’s intensity, Burton said, “Yeah, I think you can feel that early on. As soon as I got the chance to meet her and work out with her, I realized that. And I love it. She’s so passionate about everything that she does.”

Natalie Nakase earlier gave insight into her own view of the relationship. She said, “V [Veronica Burton] took a leap of faith with me being completely uncomfortable with the leadership that I made her do in terms of the mentality that I wanted her to have. I told you I’m a m—r, but she’s more of a kind-hearted, builds relationships, and builds that trust [person].” The 2025 COY also praised Burton for maintaining her authenticity while embracing the mental and leadership demands she set. While these two shine bright, the Golden State as a whole is a team that is worthy of a deep case study.

The Golden State Valkyries might be Natalie Nakase’s magnum opus

The 2025 season began with history, as the Golden State Valkyries became the first WNBA expansion team since 2008. Their playoff appearance looked sudden, but the foundation was there months earlier during the expansion draft on December 6, 2024. The Valkyries’ front office, alongside Natalie Nakase, made bold selections from twelve teams, with the Seattle Storm being exempt.The WNBA had 12 teams in 2024, and the expansion draft allowed the Valkyries to select one unprotected player from each team’s list (after each protected up to 6 players).

Nakase and her staff chose balance over star power. The roster featured players starting off the bench and role players with defensive versatility. Tiffany Hayes was the only player with an All-Star nod, dating back to 2017 when she starred in Atlanta. Without much offensive firepower, Nakase leaned on defense, shaping a disciplined, high-intensity system.

The defensive numbers validated their vision. Golden State ranked third in defensive efficiency and secured rebounds on 51.1 percent of possessions, fourth overall. They allowed just 12.1 restricted area attempts per game, the lowest mark since the 2018 Las Vegas Aces, who posted 10.6. The Valkyries became known for physicality, glass control, and collective buy-in, standing firm against league veterans. That approach transformed Kayla Thornton into an All-Star, while the Burton-Nakase partnership became the true headline.

And this connection is giving Golden State tenfold returns. The two differing personalities share a bond on the court as the dual conductors for Valkyries. Burton has become what many describe as ‘an extension’ of Nakase on the floor. She often calls plays that Nakase is drawing up and helps organize teammates in real time. As Nakase told The San Francisco Standard earlier this month, “She has been the dream point guard for me. I couldn’t ask for a better point guard.”

Also, Natalie Nakase has openly credited Burton during postgame remarks, saying she believed Burton deserved Most Improved Player not just for scoring more, but for impacting games without even scoring. A team built from overlooked talent, anchored by trust between coach and point guard, is now rewriting expansion history.