Kendra Andrews Nov 1, 2026, 01:15 AM ET

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.…