The Golden State Valkyries weren’t the only Bay Area team to celebrate over the recent weekend. The Warriors were doing the same as well, but for very different reasons. While the Valkyries were over the moon with their stellar win in the regular-season opener against the Seattle Storm, the Warriors were overjoyed with the contract extension of their legendary head coach, Steve Kerr. This very well prompted Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase to react.

In a pre-game press conference ahead of the Phoenix Mercury game, Nakase was asked about Kerr’s two-year contract extension and its impact on the Warriors’ sister franchise, the Golden State Valkyries.

“Yeah, excited. Steve, like I’ve said, I have known him before, but when I got here, he was all open doors,” Nakase said. “Hey, welcome to the Bay and opened his office to me and opened his practice to me. I know his whole staff. So, just great to have family stay here.

“Really excited coz now I get to just pick his brain even more. Like I said, I mean, he has way more Championships that I will ever have, whether it was for him as a player, as a GM, or as a coach,” the Valkyries head coach added further.

Kerr’s return to the Warriors carries immense weight for Golden State ownership, led by Joe Lacob and Peter Guber. The tenure might be short, but is a huge relief for the franchise, especially after rumors circulated that Kerr doesn’t want to continue in his role as the Warriors’ head coach.

For many years now, Kerr has been at the very helm of the Warriors’ dominance in the NBA, leading them to 4 Championships. Thus, his return marks stability for the franchise, at least for the next two seasons in the league.

But Kerr’s relationship with the Valkyries and Nakase is far from these successes or on-court endeavors. It’s built on support, trust, and faith. For instance, Kerr has always been a major supporter of the Valkyries since it took its initial foothold as an expansion team in 2024.

In an interview, Kerr expressed his confidence in the Valkyries, calling the team one of the league’s future “flagship” franchises. It isn’t just limited to that. The Warriors’ head coach also showed up for the team’s first-ever home game at the Chase Center last season, along with his players like Jonathan Kuminga.

Furthermore, when Nakase joined the Valkyries as the team’s first head coach, Kerr was immensely supportive of the former. In an interview back in 2022, the Valkyries’ head coach reflected on it, remarking on the NBA legend’s gracious gesture.

“On Day 1 of my press conference, (Steve Kerr) texted me. He goes, ‘Nat, if you need anything… you’re always welcome,” Nakase had said. “Why wouldn’t I pick his brain. He won four championships. I would be a fool not to utilize Steve (Kerr).”

And, quite naturally, the relationship between the two Bay Area coaches is strong and goes back a long way. It seems pretty clear from the way the Valkyries coach speaks of Kerr. For Nakase, Kerr is basically a mentor she can turn to and someone who has been immensely helpful to her.

And why not? Having a combined 9-time NBA champion in Kerr would be a blessing for any first-time head coach in the league, like Nakase. Speaking at the Phoenix Mercury pre-game press conference, Nakase also said she hadn’t forgotten to invite Kerr to one of the Valkyries’ games.

It reinforces that we can yet again see the NBA legend rooting for the Golden State Valkyries at the Chase Center in the 2026 season. “I told him I can’t wait to see you at one of our games,” Nakase said. “So, hopefully, he’ll be here soon.”

While the two Bay Region teams continue to make strides in their respective leagues, the upcoming challenges for both Natalie Nakase and Steve Kerr will be markedly different.

Natalie Nakase Faces a Tough Challenge at the W, While Steve Kerr Looks Towards Rebuilding

The 2026 season has been rather a forgettable one for Kerr and the Warriors. The team suffered 10-37 in the regular season with injury stretches to key players like Steph Curry (knee) and Jimmy Butler (ACL tear). Furthermore, the Dubs faced a daunting elimination at the hands of the Phoenix Suns in the play-in tournament, meaning the 2022 NBA Champs would miss the playoffs.

The immediate assignment for Kerr before the 2027 season is to rebuild and get the Warriors back at the top. It’s likely the Warriors will rely on their veterans next season too. Butler and Curry will possibly suit up for the Warriors as well in the coming season.

Draymond Green does have a player option. But given his bond with the Warriors’ organization, it’s most likely for him to stay next season. The flipside of this veteran reliance is a major cornerstone player in the offseason. For a bit, the Warriors were reportedly interested in Giannis Antetokounmpo also.

So, it will be interesting to see if the Warriors and Steve Kerr make any major progress in that front. On the other hand, Natalie Nakase will face the pressure of meeting expectations from her and the Valkyries. In their very first season at the W, the Valkyries advanced to the playoffs, with Nakase earning the WNBA Coach of the Year award in the process.

To achieve it, Nakase and the Valkyries made some big moves in the offseason. They roped in Gabby Williams to strengthen their perimeter defense around players Veronica Burton, Tiffany Hayes, and Kayla Thornton. Thus, the immediate concern for Nakase, unlike Kerr, isn’t rebuilding and exploring the market. They have already made positive use of that time.

But pulling off consistent performance with a new roster will challenge Nakase. For now, Valkyries opened their regular season in a stellar fashion. Nakase’s team has clinched two back-to-back games against the Seattle Storm and the Phoenix Mercury. All in all, it will be interesting to see how these two Golden State coaches navigate these immediate concerns over the course of the year.