While Natalie Nakase downplayed her own importance when it came to winning the 2025 WNBA Coach of the Year award, instead opting to credit her staff, players, and the Golden State Valkyries organization for what they achieved this season, she still understands the significance of her accomplishment.
At her Coach of the Year awards ceremony, where WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert presented her with the COTY trophy, a reporter asked Nakase about her thoughts on becoming the second Asian-American coach across the major professional sports to win a COTY award.
“It's a huge honor,” Nakase said. “You know, obviously representation for me matters, especially when I sit in this seat more and more, and I get to see the fans and I get to meet little girls that look like me, and they come up to me and they say, I inspire them, which I would never have thought.”
Asked Valkyries’ Natalie Nakase about becoming the second Asian-American coach across the major professional sports to win a COTY award.
Nakase spoke openly about representation, being a role model for Asian Americans in sports, as well as her father who passed away in 2021. pic.twitter.com/PoGwoKr9hH
— Kenzo Fukuda (@kenzofuku) September 18, 2025
Nakase's Coach of the Year honor is another achievement for her in a season that will stand as a landmark moment for Asian-American representation in sports. When the Valkyries hired Nakase back in October of 2024, she became the first-ever Asian-American head coach in WNBA history. Throughout this historic season coaching Golden State, Nakase's been acutely aware of the position she's in as a role model to Asian-Americans aspiring to pursue careers in sports.
“It’s special,” Nakase said at the beginning of the season, right before her head coaching debut. “Especially when you can hear these little [Asian-American] girls say, ‘I want to be like her.’ I don’t really hear that daily. To understand that I can make an impact on someone's life, to inspire them, there's no greater feeling.”
Reflecting on her accomplishments this season
Nakase's still taking her role as an important figure in Asian-Americans in sports in stride. In her Coach of the Year ceremony, Nakase shared a story about a fan's experiences that resonated with her.
“One thing that really resonated with me was a fan whose father passed as well,” Nakase shared. Nakase's father, Gary Nakase, passed in 2021. He was the person who nurtured her love of basketball from a young age.
“She just said, Look, you gave me the inspiration and motivation to just keep going,” Nakase continued. “My father passed. But look, we're, you know, we're going to do this for our dads. And that really resonated. As you guys all know, my dad is my hero. He's an iconic dad, and for him not to be here today, but hopefully he's watching, you better be watching, Dad. It's cool that I could resonate with so many people when I get to share my story. So thank you guys for allowing me to share my story.”
On the representation front of the award, Nakase is highly aware and understanding of what it means for her as a Japanese-American to win Coach of the Year. But as it pertains to celebrating the job she did this season, an award is the last thing Nakase needs.
“Thank you, Cathy, for honoring me with this award,” Nakase said as Engelbert handed her the COTY trophy. “But, like I said, and I'm being true, no one really cares, I'm being very serious. I never aim for this type of award. My dad taught me that early on, that it's all about winning.”
