• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, September 10, 2025
Tuned In is Almost Sold Out! Limited Tickets Remain!

Valkyries Coach Natalie Nakase: Joe Lacob Wants a Title Within Five Years

  • Nakase said the team having its own practice facility is a “huge advantage.”
  • No WNBA expansion team has ever won a title five years into its existence.
Natalie Nakase
Natalie Nakase / Front Office Sports

When Joe Lacob hired Natalie Nakase to be the Golden State Valkyries’ first coach in franchise history, it came with a timeline. 

“The goal is going to be five years; you have to bring home a championship,” Lacob told Nakase. 

Lacob is no stranger to winning. As co-owner of the Golden State Warriors he has been part of the four titles the franchise has won behind Steph Curry. He is the majority owner of the Valkyries, the WNBA expansion team that starts play in 2025, and is expecting similar results to what he’s had with the Warriors. 

Speaking on the Front Office Sports Today podcast, Nakase said in her interview with Lacob, he discussed how he got to where he is in life, which has stuck with her since. Lacob, who is worth just more than $2 billion, according to Forbes, made much of his money in the venture capital industry. 

“My conversation with Joe was one of the most inspiring, impactful conversations I’ve ever had,” Nakase said. “This guy’s telling me the secret sauce. Who wouldn’t want to be like Joe?” 

No WNBA expansion team has ever won a title within the first five years of the franchise’s existence, but Nakase isn’t running from the expectations. Nakase, who was an assistant for the Las Vegas Aces before taking the job, said the team is starting play with its own practice facility in Oakland, which she considers a major factor in free agency. 

“I’m trying to tell people who don’t have their own practice facility that it’s a huge advantage,” Nakase said.  

The Valkyries are off to a hot start as a franchise, accumulating more than 17,000 season-ticket deposits while regularly selling out of merchandise—months before the team opens play in May 2025. 

Nakase will now look to build out her staff and has her attention primarily focused on the WNBA expansion draft, which falls on Dec. 6. As for the expectations she’s walking into, Nakase isn’t shying away from them. 

“Just the way [Lacob] knew how to win, I have to take that recipe as well. You’re providing me with all these resources that I can’t fail. People are saying, ‘Is that pressure?’ No. I’m excited,” she said.

You can listen to the rest of Nakase’s interview here

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Networks Set NFL Ratings Records As New Measurements Begin

Network viewership soars on the NFL’s opening Sunday.

WNBA Hits 3M Attendance Milestone in Season’s Final Week

The WNBA extended the season to a record 44 games this year.
Tony Parker

Tony Parker, French Team Owner, Says NBA Europe Is Inevitable

Parker didn’t rule out his ASVEL club joining the NBA’s new league.

Featured Today

Sep 7, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills fans react during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Highmark Stadium.

As Bills Ascend, Their Next Frontier Lies in Canada

Buffalo and the powerful Canadian entity MLSE come together in a new pact.
opinion
September 9, 2025

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly from NFL’s Week 1 Broadcasts

Many viewers decried the addition of ads to “NFL RedZone.”
Aug 23, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) leads the team onto the field for warm ups before a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium.
September 7, 2025

Slow Burn: The NFL’s Private-Equity Era So Far

Three deals have been struck to date. But the league is bullish.
Tennis
September 5, 2025

The US Open Is Groaning Under the Weight of Its Own Success

New York’s tennis major is more popular than ever.
Dawn Staley

Dawn Staley Says She Would Have Left South Carolina for Knicks

Staley says she would have made the NBA leap “for women.”
Andy Reid
August 21, 2025

Andy Reid Office Shooting Went Unreported for a Year

Reid was inside at the time but wasn’t injured.
Inter Miami bench
August 21, 2025

Inter Miami Post-Red Card Phone Coaching May Have Been Legal

Javier Mascherano appeared to continue coaching through a call from the stands.
Sponsored

How World Series Champ Dexter Fowler Became a Premier League Team Owner

Dexter Fowler discusses navigating retirement and embracing new roles as an owner & investor.
August 1, 2025

Belichick Bump Creating Record UNC Ticket Prices

The cost of seeing the NFL legend’s college coaching debut is soaring.
July 28, 2025

Deion Sanders Had Bladder Removed Due to Cancer, Is Ready for Season

Sanders had his bladder removed in May.
July 28, 2025

Bulls Extend Billy Donovan After Rejecting Knicks Advances

The Bulls finished 39–43 for the second straight season.
Mike Brown
July 2, 2025

Knicks Land on Mike Brown After Monthlong Coach Search: Reports

New York still owes Tom Thibodeau $30 million.