Natalie Nakase on Building a WNBA Team From Scratch, Interning in her 30s, and Looking to Victoria Beckham for Style Inspiration

Nice Talk with Nikki Ogunnaike · Jan 30, 2025 · 33m

Natalie Nakase has always loved basketball—and she’s built a successful career on that passion. After playing professionally for a few years, she became a head coach overseas, but eventually moved back to the U.S. with the dream of coaching in the NBA. Over the next decade, Nakase climbed the ranks from video intern to assistant coach for the Clippers. From there, she became the assistant coach for the Las Vegas Aces, leading the team to two championship victories. Now, she’s embarking on a new role as the head coach of the Golden State Valkyries, a brand-new WNBA team. In this episode, we…