Sep 17, 2025; San Jose, California, USA; Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase talks with guard Veronica Burton (22) in the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Lynx in game two of round one for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at SAP Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images David Gonzales-Imagn Images

Natalie Nakase's Touching Message to Valkyries Players After Season-Ending Loss

Originally posted on Golden State Valkyries on SI
By Logan Struck | Last updated Sep 18, 2025 1:39 AM ET

The Golden State Valkyries' historic 2025 run has come to an end. After becoming the first expansion team in WNBA history to make the playoffs in their inaugural season, the Valkyries got matched up against the first-seeded Minnesota Lynx.

The Valkyries were dominated by the Lynx in their first playoff game in franchise history, suffering a 29-point loss, but they were not going out that easily in front of their home crowd. For their first-ever home playoff game, despite it being played in San Jose instead of San Francisco, the Valkyries gave their fans something to cheer about.

Standing ovation for the Valkyries from their home crowd. G-S-V chants raining down for this historic team. pic.twitter.com/xnlOLZSmjP
— Kenzo Fukuda (@kenzofuku) September 18, 2025

The Valkyries led by as many as 17 points over the best team in the WNBA in Wednesday's Game 2, and even held a 14-point advantage heading into the fourth quarter. The Valkyries forced this historic Lynx team into a corner, but of course, Minnesota showed off their greatness and prevailed. The Lynx outscored the Valkyries by 15 points in the fourth quarter to pull out a slim win, effectively ending the Valkyries' 2025 season.

Nakase shows love for her players

The Valkyries were led by Coach of the Year winner Natalie Nakase throughout the 2025 season, who is a first-year head coach and is already destined for greatness. Of course, this coaching staff and group of players have only been together for one season, but they have built something special.

Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

After their season-ending loss to the Lynx, Nakase revealed in her postgame press conference what she told her players.

"So proud. So proud. That's the first thing I said. Number one, I said, 'Get your f----- heads up.' They were down, and I said, 'I want everyone's eye contact. I wanna feel every single person right now. Your emotions, your heart, I want everything.' They all looked up, and I just told them how proud I was. To have that place rocking tonight, to have that Ballhalla mentality, to be able to go toe to toe with the number one team, I was so proud," Nakase said.

The Valkyries were a very unique group, as they had a roster filled with players who had been given up on by their previous team. Expansion teams rarely see immediate success, but the Valkyries were a clear outlier.

Nakase has every right to be proud of her team after the incredible season that they had, and Ballhalla has many reasons to be excited about the future of the brand-new franchise.

This article first appeared on Golden State Valkyries on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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