Why Kerr sees Valkyries becoming ‘flagship’ WNBA franchise in future.
As coach of the Warriors, Steve Kerr has been a driving force in turning the franchise into one of the NBA’s elite over the last decade.
So, he obviously knows what it takes for an organization to reach the highest standard. And he sees the same in store for another Golden State squad — the Valkyries, a WNBA expansion team that will begin play in 2025.
Kerr, when asked Thursday about newly hired Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase, had high praise for the under-construction organization.
“I think the Valkyries are going to be — before long — a flagship franchise in the WNBA,” Kerr told reporters. “They’re building something really powerful. Just need some players now.”
Only a few people have been hired to work for the team thus far — the WNBA expansion draft won’t take place until Dec. 6 — but Kerr has high hopes for the Warriors’ Chase Center roommates. He shared his thoughts about Nakase and Valkyries general manager Ohemaa Nyanin.
“I think I met [Nakase] when she was with the Clippers years ago, so I don’t know her well, but I’ve heard great things. It’s exciting,” Kerr said. “She’s got a great reputation, and [it is] pretty impressive what the Valkyries are putting together without even having any players yet. The branding is really cool, the colors, the name, the people who are coming in.
“Ohemaa is a star. She’s an amazing person. I’ve gotten to know her a little bit behind the scenes. She’s building her group, obviously, so a lot of impressive people.”
In return, Nakase showed plenty of excitement at the prospect of working in connection with Kerr during her introductory press conference Thursday.
“I would be a fool if I don’t pick his brain,” Nakase said. “I would love to pick his brain and maybe just sit in on practice and see how different coaches teach, because it’s not just about what you know. It’s about how you get your players to buy in and what that communication looks like. So, I’m just really excited.
“And again, with the legacy of the winning and the championships, that’s where I want to be. This is a place where I’ve always strived to be, because I’ve always wanted to be the best.”
That might make Nakase’s goal of winning a WNBA title within five years even more attainable.
News
Lynx guard Courtney Williams ready for WNBA Finals spotlight
Courtney Williams once joked that it was a big moment when her mom, Michele Williams, admitted Courtney was the best basketball player in the family. That came more than a decade ago, when the Minnesota Lynx guard broke her mother’s single-game scoring record…
Lynx’s Alanna Smith: X-factor, All-Defensive player, grad student
Lynx’s Alanna Smith: X-factor, All-Defensive player, grad student. Two years before Alanna Smith grabbed the offensive rebound that set up Courtney Williams’ 4-point play in one of the most remarkable sequences in WNBA history, Smith was at home in Australia not even thinking about…
Can the New York Liberty, the Best in the W.N.B.A, Finally Win It All?
The Liberty, an original W.N.B.A. franchise, have been to the finals five times and lost each time. But their fans can’t help believing, again, this year. The 2024 New York Liberty are stacked with talent and had the W.N.B.A.’s best…
New York Liberty forward Jonquel Jones chases an elusive WNBA title
Jones may have her best chance at a championship in her fourth WNBA Finals appearance. New York Liberty forward Jonquel Jones takes a shot during Game 1 of the 2024 WNBA Finals on Oct. 10 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn,…
What makes the New York Liberty defense so good? They have ‘some super long people’
For as tough as it is to score on the New York Liberty given all their defensive length, Jonquel Jones can imagine an even more intimidating — and longer — matchup. That’s because when the 6-foot-6 Jones (wingspan: 6-foot-9¼) played with 6-foot-4…
Liberty’s Betnijah Laney-Hamilton struggling after knee surgery
Liberty coach Sandy Brondello acknowledged that starting forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton is struggling physically after undergoing knee surgery in July. Laney-Hamilton scored only five points on 2-for-7 shooting in 26 minutes in Thursday’s Game 1 collapse and loss to the Lynx. “…
End of content
No more pages to load