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“It’s Therapy for Me”: Natalie Nakase Reveals Her Film Study Obsession Behind Valkyries’ Historic Finals Run

Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase is leveraging her deep film-study habits to fine-tune her team’s strategy ahead of the 2026 WNBA Finals, a practice she described as almost therapeutic. With nine days to prepare for the championship series, Nakase—who won back-to-back titles as an assistant with the Las Vegas Aces in 2022 and 2023 and earned WNBA Coach of the Year last season—relies on meticulous game breakdowns to craft defensive schemes.

Her obsession with film extends to dissecting opponents’ tendencies, such as identifying how they might counter a dominant offensive set, and she credits this preparation for the Valkyries’ strong 23-21 record in their inaugural campaign. The team’s recent semifinal series victory over the Aces, including a hard-fought overtime win in Game 3, underscored Nakase’s leadership, with analysts praising her ability to adjust tactics and rally her squad after tough losses.

Now, with a chance to win a title in just their second season, the Valkyries will face the Atlanta Dream in the Finals, giving Nakase additional time to study their gameplay before the showdown.

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