Natalie Nakase, the coach of the Valkyries, collapsed late in the fourth quarter during their 77-73 victory over the Wings in Game 3 of the WNBA playoffs on Friday night.
The franchise informed ESPN that Nakase experienced some lightheadedness and fatigue, but she is anticipated to return for Game 1 of the semifinals against the Aces on Sunday.
At 46, Nakase continued to coach after her collapse, although she did not address the media following the game.
“Natalie’s fine,” said assistant coach Kasib Powell. “It’s a quick turnaround with a game on Sunday. She wouldn’t miss it for anything.”
He mentioned the team is still processing what happened but reassured that Nakase was in good spirits afterward. “We saw her later; she was fine, laughing, and upbeat. We’ll figure out the details as we go, but she seems totally okay.”
When Dallas led 72-71 with just under two minutes left, Nakase spoke with a referee before suddenly falling to the court.
Two staff members and a player rushed to her side as she lay on the floor, resting her forearms and knees against it, her head tucked down.
Eventually, she started to rise, touching her forehead, with help from the staff before making her way back to the bench.
She appeared to be in discomfort as she walked, grimacing and again rubbing her forehead.
Commentator Ryan Ruocco noted, “Seems like Natalie Nakase had some sort of episode on the floor for Golden State. Did she slip going out onto the court?”
Despite this unsettling moment, Nakase returned to her role, actively coaching her team during timeouts.
“She didn’t miss a beat,” Powell stated. “As that was happening, we stayed focused. When she got back, she drew up the next play, keeping the huddle engaged about needing a stop. Absolutely no pause there. We all tried to keep calm and support each other and her.”
The second-seeded Valkyries managed to score the next six points, part of an 8-0 run, overcoming a 53-37 deficit in the third quarter, and securing the franchise’s first playoff series victory in just their second season.
“She’s okay, she’s fine,” said Golden State guard Gabby Williams, who contributed 19 points. “We just stepped up as a team. Really relieved that she’s alright.”
Now, Golden State will take on the defending champion Aces in the semifinals after Las Vegas defeated the Fever and star Caitlin Clark in three games.
Game 1 is set for Sunday in San Francisco at 4 p.m. ET, and the winner will face either the eighth-seeded Liberty or the fourth-seeded Dream in the WNBA Finals.
“That was incredible,” Tiffany Hayes, who scored 18 points, expressed. “With all the hard work we put in to fight back, doing it together as a team was just amazing. I’m so proud and thankful to be part of this group.”
