SAN FRANCISCO– It's no secret the WNBA is suffering from a league-wide injury problem this season. According to The IX Basketball's WNBA injury tracker, over 117 players have missed 901 games this season, surpassing the numbers from 2024. And the Golden State Valkyries in particular are no strangers to that issue.

The Valkyries have had a league-high 27 injuries this season, including a season-ending one to an all-star forward, Kayla Thornton. As Natalie Nakase put it a few weeks ago, their “used to it” when it comes to playing deep into the bench because of injuries across the board.

But the cause of the uptick in injuries isn't quite clear. Some have speculated that the league-wide string of injuries could be attributed to the grueling schedule. Others have pointed to the lack of recovery time in conjunction with the cross-country travel schedules. No one has substantial data that directly identifies a cause and correlation.

Ahead of the Valkyries' matchup with the Indiana Fever, Nakase provided her thoughts on the high count of injuries across the WNBA.

“If I had that answer, I wouldn't be a coach, I'd be a millionaire,” Nakase joked. The first-year head coach didn't have a specific theory as to the uptick in injuries but did share her approach to managing injuries as a whole.

“Obviously, it's a part of basketball; it happens. But you guys see how important and how I am so focused on taking care of my players. I'm not good with season-ending injuries. I did it to myself.”

Nakase's own history with injuries

Before she even considered a career in coaching, Nakase was a hooper. In high school down in Los Angeles, Nakase was the 1998 Orange County Player of the Year, leading Marina High to their first California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern Section title. Not long after, Nakase went to UCLA, where she joined the basketball team as a walk-on.

However, Nakase suffered an ACL injury that required surgery, which forced her to redshirt her freshman season. She would recover to be a 3-year starter for the Bruins, but injuries plagued the rest of her playing career. In 2008, she tore her knee ligament while playing in Germany.

Nakase keeps her experience with a season-ending injury in mind when it comes to how she manages the Valkyries.

“I thought, ‘Okay, I sprained my ankle,'” Nakase recounted. “But I was like, ‘Okay, okay, play through it,' and then I tore my calf muscle in my other leg. So that's why I'm very cautious; If you want a long career, especially at the highest level, recovery and also trying not to push through and show everyone you're tough. That has nothing to do with [being tough].”

Nakase went on to credit her medical staff for being mindful and cautious when it comes to players returning from injury. She made a point to emphasize she's the kind of coach who protects the health of her players. Not just in the present but also long term.

“You gotta think about the longevity of their life,” Nakase said. She posited that players may deal with chronic health issues later in life. “I would never want that for life after being an athlete… For me, if you are going to play for Golden State, you're always going to be well-protected.”