NFL
By: Ashmere Prasad
The Valkyries’ first two seasons in the WNBA exceeded any expectations for an expansion team. In year one, they advanced to the playoffs; in year two, they ranked No. 2 in the standings and earned a spot in the WNBA Finals. Their rapid success has everyone wondering: how did they build this winning culture so quickly?
“Everyone was legitimately hand-picked to be here,” Ohemaa Nyanin shared with the media on Thursday. From the front office to the roster, every selection Nyanin, Joe Lacob and Jess Smith had was extremely intentional.
Smith was the Valkyries organization’s first hire, with 18 years of experience building franchises in the soccer space. Smith made Nyanin her second hire, and the two selected Natalie Nakase as their head coach. “She had a joy about herself; she wasn’t trying to be anyone but herself. Her authenticity was really refreshing… She presented herself as this was her calling and if she was given the opportunity to do it with me and this organization it would be a great opportunity.”
Building a team and roster from the ground up requires everyone to buy into the system, whether it’s good or bad to start. Usually, expansion teams struggle for a few years, land some high draft picks, and build out from younger talent. Golden State chose their players in the inaugural season with the intention of retaining them long term.
When Nyanin joined Golden State in 2024, she looked for players willing to buy into a blank-slate experience. She looked for players who didn’t use their past as an excuse for growth and wanted to connect on and off the court. “They needed to be able to be an ambassador for this organization and also want to be a part of the community.”
A group of players who had bounced around teams came together and put their faith in good people who created a welcoming, winning culture. That was the secret to Golden State’s success.
At the start of training camp, when Golden State had to make roster cuts, Nakase said she was watching how players interacted off the court as much as on it. That comment also drew criticism online. If there is one thing to learn from the big four (what I am calling Lacob, Nyanin, Smith, and Nakase), it is that they make decisions with the business in mind, but also with trust. Trusting one another not to let the other fail.
The best example of this franchise’s connectivity is the viral breath from Game 3 against the Dallas Wings, which eventually led to victory.
“The collective moment of breath the athletes took on the court was the epitome of things we have said here and there; we haven’t done that behind the scenes. But in that moment, all the little things we put together…I took a breath as well just to say, ‘Yeah, they will fight with each other and for each other,’ that’s exactly why I’m doing the job I’m doing.”
