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Check out Aces’ Becky Hammon’s message to new Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase – NBC Sports Bay Area & California

Check out Aces’ Becky Hammon’s message to new Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase – NBC Sports Bay Area & California

Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon had a touching message for her former assistant Natalie Nakase, now the Golden State Valkyries’ new coach.

In an emotional video posted to the Aces Instagram account, Hammon explained Nakase’s huge impact on the franchise.

“Natalie has been a big part of everything we do,” Hammon said. “The whole day, the interactions, the conversations, the work. You know, when you see someone and spend so much time with someone, just hours and hours and hours, you really get to know someone…

“Their basketball knowledge has contributed tremendously to our success.”

Nakase was an assistant in Las Vegas for the past three WNBA seasons and helped turn the Aces into a dominant franchise by winning back-to-back championships in 2022 and 2023.

Hammon explained that Nakase’s mentality will serve her well in her new role leading the WNBA’s newest franchise, which will begin in 2025.

“She was just a big part of everything we did offensively and defensively and the chemistry with the team,” Hammon said. “She is someone who wants to be in the bunker. And I think that mentality towards the coach is great.

“Of course I learned things from her, and I hope she learned things from me that she can implement along the way [role]. She will be a great head coach because of her caring factor, perfectionism and skills [her] laugh. We laugh a lot in staff meetings. So we’ll miss her, but there are good things ahead for her.”

The new Valkyries coach also has great admiration for her former boss, Nakase told Bob Fitzgerald and Kelenna Azubuike during Friday night’s broadcast of the Warriors’ preseason game on NBC Sports Bay Area.

“Winning back-to-back championships in the first two years is pretty special,” Nakase said. “But more importantly, it was the era of Becky Hammon, she could make people feel good, she trains with her heart. “And I’m just lucky to have had those experiences.”

The 44-year-old Nakase brings extensive professional experience, having also worked as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers before joining the Aces.

With Golden State owner Joe Lacob wanting the new franchise to become a perennial WNBA contender, Nakase appears to be up to the challenge.

Still, she will never forget her time with the Aces, and neither will Hammon.

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