How the Valkyries won the 2026 WNBA title in just two years - ESPN

SAN FRANCISCO — Almost exactly two years ago, Natalie Nakase sat across from Golden State owner Joe Lacob for her job interview to become the head coach of the WNBA's newest team, the Valkyries. It was October 2024, and Nakase had walked into the interview with notes on why she would be the best fit, her vision for how to build a team and what set her apart from her colleagues.

But the first 10 minutes of the conversation were led by Lacob: He told Nakase he likes to set incredibly high goals and shared how he plans to achieve them. Nakase sat up straighter and leaned in a few inches closer, enticed by Lacob's work ethic.

Near the end of the conversation, Lacob told Nakase the ultimate goal, the same one he had shared in the news conference announcing the creation of the team a year earlier: «We're going to win a championship in five years.»

She slammed her fists on the table in front of them.

«Hell yeah, we're gonna win a championship,» she said.

On Saturday, the Golden State Valkyries did just that, beating the Atlanta Dream 68-63 in Game 7 of the WNBA Finals to win their first title.

Lacob and Nakase were wrong about one thing, though. The Valkyries didn't win their first championship in five years. They did it in two.

«I walked out of that conversation with Joe like, 'I want to work for him,'» Nakase said. «More than that, I want to win that first championship for him.»

After the interview, Nakase immediately called her mentors, asking them how she could deliver on Lacob's aspirations. Their biggest piece of advice was to build a clear culture, and do it with competitors who would sacrifice anything for the group.

Along with general manager Ohemaa Nyanin, Nakase set the identity she wanted for her team: scrappy,