Nobody anticipated the Golden State Valkyries to make the playoffs.
ESPN projected the Valkyries to be the worst staff within the WNBA.
The Athletic projected they’d be the third-worst.
However these projections had been manner off. As an alternative, Golden State is on observe to complete the season with the league’s Sixth-best document, securing a playoff spot with every week to spare. It’s a greater document than the Seattle Storm, who’re headlined by veteran All-Stars like Skylar Diggins, Nneka Ogwumike, and Gabby Williams. It’s a greater document 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 the 12 months.
It’s come even if they principally whiffed in free company, securing just one huge identify (Tiffany Hayes).
And, although we’ll by no means be capable 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 will’t at all times glean how a lot poor execution is because of the workers and the way a lot is just the gamers struggling to implement ideas that had been successfully introduced.
However oftentimes, it’s one thing you possibly can 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.
Almost the complete Valkyries roster is overachieving. Burton gained the Most Improved Participant, having upped her common from 3.1 to 12 factors per sport. Cecilia Zandalasini has upped her common from 4.6 to 11.2 factors per sport. Leite and Salaün are adjusting to the WNBA fantastically.
And the Valkyries are profitable. That’s crucial factor.
They’ve gained extra video games than any growth staff 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 — not too long ago praised what the Valkyries have been in a position to do below Nakase in a pregame press convention.
“Once you mix a degree of compete with expertise and buy-in, that’s probably 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 staff’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 proficient than us on paper,” Reese stated. “However they play laborious as hell.”
