The Golden State Valkyries are gearing up for the WNBA Finals, and their remarkable story actually stretches back to the 1990s.
Joe Lacob, the owner of the franchise, had previously tried to support a professional women’s sports team before Golden State became a WNBA expansion franchise in 2025. His journey in professional sports started with the San Jose Lasers, a team in the American Basketball League that he owned in 1996.
The ABL, however, folded in 1998, but Lacob remained determined to create a successful women’s basketball team.
By 2014, he made it clear that he wanted to bring a WNBA team to the Bay Area. In 2023, San Francisco was finally awarded a WNBA expansion team which was set to debut in 2025.
Thus, the Valkyries were born.
Since they started playing in 2025, the Valkyries have seen every regular-season home game sell out, totaling 44 consecutive sellouts at the Chase Center, a venue affectionately referred to as Ballhalla by fans.
In their debut season, Golden State made history by averaging over 18,000 fans per game throughout the season. Notably, they also made it to the playoffs right off the bat.
In their second year, they achieved the impressive feat of sweeping the defending champions, the Las Vegas Aces, in three games to advance to the WNBA Finals.
While the Aces are known for their star-studded lineup, including MVP A’ja Wilson, the Valkyries have built their team around a strong defense. They opted for well-rounded, two-way players, favoring team culture over individual scoring prowess.
From the top of the organization down, everything has been meticulously planned. The front office, coaching staff, and roster were assembled with a clear vision in mind.
Natalie Nakase, the franchise’s first head coach, has been instrumental in establishing this vision.
“To create my team culture, I focus on picking 12 players with a competitive mindset who are incredibly hardworking,” Nakase explained at the beginning of her journey with the Valkyries. “The fundamental principle is being a good person, always considering your teammates. That’ll be my motto: team over self, in every aspect, on and off the court.”
Nakase came to the Valkyries with a strong background in basketball. A former player at UCLA, she spent three years as an assistant coach with the Aces and helped them secure back-to-back WNBA championships in 2022 and 2023.
Before that, she dedicated ten seasons to player development and assistant coaching with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Thanks to Nakase’s approach, the Valkyries have reached a pinnacle in women’s basketball.
Winning is just part of the story for the Valkyries, who have quickly carved out a distinct identity and a supportive community. They are valued at $1 billion, making Golden State the first-ever billion-dollar franchise in women’s sports.
During his first press conference with the Valkyries, Lacob pledged to fans that they would win a WNBA championship within the first five years of the franchise’s existence.
Now, just two seasons in, Golden State is only four wins away from fulfilling that promise.
