While Natalie Nakase downplayed her own importance when it came to winning the 2025 WNBA Coach of the Year award , instead opting to credit her staff, players, and the Golden State Valkyries organization for what they achieved this season, she still understands the significance of her accomplishment.

At her Coach of the Year awards ceremony, where WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert presented her with the COTY trophy, a reporter asked Nakase about her thoughts on becoming the second Asian-American coach across the major professional sports to win a COTY award.

“It's a huge honor,” Nakase said. “You know, obviously representation for me matters, especially when I sit in this seat more and more, and I get to see the fans and I get to meet little girls that look like me, and they come up

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