Valkyries Coach Makes Honest Admission About Facing Chicago Sky Coach
Valkyries Coach Makes Honest Admission About Facing Chicago Sky Coach originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
As Natalie Nakase, hired by the Golden State Valkyries in October 2024, prepared to face Tyler Marsh, the Chicago Sky's first-year head coach, she was reminded of the time they spent together under Becky Hammon in Vegas.
Advertisement
Both proteges of Hammon, Nakase and Marsh helped guide the Las Vegas Aces to back-to-back WNBA titles in 2022 and 2023.
When asked about the "uniqueness of being first-year head coaches at the same time and not calling each other opponents," Nakase tempered the moment with nostalgia.
"It's awkward, to be honest, to call each other opponents. When you win two championships and spend that much time together… you learn a lot. You end up really becoming family," she said, recalling late-night texts and shared meals under the Aces banner.
Yet, she added, "At the same time, we're here to do a job. This is business, and we're here to win."
Marsh, who completed his playing days at UAB and Birmingham-Southern before embarking on a coaching path, cut his teeth in the G League and NBA, with the Toronto Raptors (2019 NBA champion) and Indiana Pacers, before joining the Aces in March 2022.
Advertisement
Nakase, meanwhile, spent time coaching overseas in Germany and Japan before working with the Agua Caliente Clippers (G League) and Los Angeles Clippers as an assistant, and eventually the Aces from 2022 to 2024.
Chicago Sky head coach Tyler Marsh.David Butler II-Imagn Images
Coming into the game, the Valkyries had defied expectations with a .500 record (7-7) in their inaugural season, while the Sky have struggled to find consistency, boasting a 4-10 record and the league's second-worst point differential (-10.3).
With both teams on opposite sides of the standings, Friday's meeting at Chase Center offered more than your typical midseason contest.
Related: Stephanie White Breaks Silence After Missing Chicago Sky Game
Related: Ranking the 25 Best WNBA Players of All Time
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 28, 2025, where it first appeared.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
42 minutes ago
- USA Today
Colston Loveland predicted to have big rookie season with Bears
The Chicago Bears have several exciting rookies on the roster heading into the 2025 season, led by tight end Colston Loveland and wide receiver Luther Burden III. Both are expected to play key roles on offense in their rookie seasons, but Loveland is already generating high expectations. Gennaro Filice projected his early 2025 NFL All-Rookie Team, where Loveland was the representative at tight ends. Loveland gets the nod over fellow rookie Tyler Warren, who Chicago passed on and who many believed was the top tight end in this draft class. "Standing 6-6, 241 pounds, Loveland is a tight end who runs routes with the fluidity of a wideout," wrote Filice. "That's what makes him special. And that's what made Sam LaPorta a rookie Pro Bowler under Ben Johnson in Detroit, so it stands to reason that Johnson will get the most out of Loveland in Chicago. With Cole Kmet in place to handle traditional in-line work, Johnson can let his beautiful football mind run wild when it comes to scheming up touches for his new toy. The Bears have a lot of mouths to feed in the passing game, but I anticipate this supersized separator will get a fair share of attention from young quarterback Caleb Williams." There are high expectations for Loveland heading into his rookie season, most notably that he gets to work with one of the NFL's brightest offensive minds in Ben Johnson. Loveland recently shared his impressions of Johnson and his "crazy mind," and it's clear the rookie is excited about his prospects in this Bears offense. While Cole Kmet is a proven veteran on the roster, many expect Loveland to establish himself as the top receiving tight end at some point in his rookie season. If that's the case, the sky's the limit for Loveland, who has drawn comparisons to tight end Sam LaPorta, who was coached by Johnson in Detroit. Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Colston Loveland predicted to have big rookie season with Bears
The Chicago Bears have several exciting rookies on the roster heading into the 2025 season, led by tight end Colston Loveland and wide receiver Luther Burden III. Both are expected to play key roles on offense in their rookie seasons, but Loveland is already generating high expectations. Gennaro Filice projected his early 2025 NFL All-Rookie Team, where Loveland was the representative at tight ends. Loveland gets the nod over fellow rookie Tyler Warren, who Chicago passed on and who many believed was the top tight end in this draft class. Advertisement "Standing 6-6, 241 pounds, Loveland is a tight end who runs routes with the fluidity of a wideout," wrote Filice. "That's what makes him special. And that's what made Sam LaPorta a rookie Pro Bowler under Ben Johnson in Detroit, so it stands to reason that Johnson will get the most out of Loveland in Chicago. With Cole Kmet in place to handle traditional in-line work, Johnson can let his beautiful football mind run wild when it comes to scheming up touches for his new toy. The Bears have a lot of mouths to feed in the passing game, but I anticipate this supersized separator will get a fair share of attention from young quarterback Caleb Williams." There are high expectations for Loveland heading into his rookie season, most notably that he gets to work with one of the NFL's brightest offensive minds in Ben Johnson. Loveland recently shared his impressions of Johnson and his "crazy mind," and it's clear the rookie is excited about his prospects in this Bears offense. While Cole Kmet is a proven veteran on the roster, many expect Loveland to establish himself as the top receiving tight end at some point in his rookie season. If that's the case, the sky's the limit for Loveland, who has drawn comparisons to tight end Sam LaPorta, who was coached by Johnson in Detroit. Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears TE Colston Loveland projected to 2025 All-Rookie Team
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Yankees first-half awards: Aaron Judge for MVP, but who's LVP?
NEW YORK — Will Warren didn't seem worried at all. The bases were loaded. The count was full. Gio Urshela was at the plate, and it was the first inning. Warren reached back and ripped a 94 mph sinker that dotted the outside corner. Urshela didn't swing, the umpire called strike three, and it set the New York Yankees' starting pitcher on a path to yet another big night. Advertisement Warren threw five scoreless innings, striking out seven while walking four, in a 3-0 win over the Athletics at Yankee Stadium on Friday night. The game represented the halfway mark of the regular season for the Yankees, who at 47-34 hold a 1 1/2-game lead in the American League East. And Warren's showing was another example of why he's been the Yankees' rookie of the year for the first half of the 2025 season. Warren has a 5-4 record and a 4.37 ERA, giving the Yankees at least the chance to win just about every day, though he usually offers even more. Over his last four starts, he has a 1.96 ERA. He's allowed three or fewer runs in 13 starts. Warren leads MLB rookies in starts (17) and strikeouts (103). Will Warren, Disgusting Sweeper. 🤮 — Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 28, 2025 Manager Aaron Boone said he wasn't losing faith in the 26-year-old as he walked three of the first five batters he faced Friday, though he did tell the bullpen to have Allan Winans warm up in case Warren couldn't right the ship. 'Honestly a lot of confidence that we don't have to trick 'em,' Boone said. 'He's got the stuff to go right after them.' The biggest difference for Warren this season? 'I feel like he's really starting to use his sinker and his four-seamer really well with a lot of faith in it and in the strike zone,' Boone said. 'He knows he can go in the strike zone with both of those pitches if he executes. He doesn't have to run from contact. Those two pitches really play for him.' Warren has shown that he deserves to remain in the rotation when Luis Gil returns from the injured list sometime after the All-Star break. Here are our other first-half awards for the Yankees. Who else? Judge is in the midst of one of his best seasons, and that's saying something. The 33-year-old is leading MLB in the following categories: batting average (.358), on-base percentage (.458), slugging percentage (.712), OPS (1.170) and fWAR (6.1). Judge's 28 homers are the third-most in baseball. And he hasn't missed a full game. When he was announced as the biggest vote-getter for this year's American League All-Star team, he became the fourth player since fan balloting returned in 1970 to lead the majors in voting at least three times (Ken Griffey Jr., 5; Rod Carew, 4; Ichiro Suzuki, 3). The best player in the game, of course, is the most valuable player on the team. Advertisement LeMahieu brings leadership to the Yankees' clubhouse. He sets an example of how to prepare every day. He has also been the Yankees' least productive everyday player. He didn't debut until May 13 after missing the beginning of the season with a left calf strain. When he first returned, he appeared to be moving better than he had at any point over his last two injury-plagued years. But he's struggled significantly of late. Over 13 games entering Friday, he had posted just a .384 OPS with only one extra-base hit. His season marks of a 92.5 mph average exit velocity and 50 percent hard-hit rate are encouraging. His expected weighted on-base percentage of .304 is not. Fried might start for the AL All-Star team. When the Yankees signed Fried to an eight-year, $217 million deal, the move was almost universally applauded, though some eyebrows were raised at the length. Nobody's questioning it now. The lefty leads MLB in wins with 10, and his 1.92 ERA is second among starting pitchers. He's top 10 in WHIP (0.94) and batting average against (.204). Fried has also become a clubhouse leader in a mold similar to Gerrit Cole. 'Ten wins in half a season is not easy to do, in any era, especially now,' Boone told reporters in Cincinnati this week. 'It's just a testament to how good he's been and how efficient he's been. Needless to say, he's been enormous for us, whether it's coming off a loss or extending a streak. His consistency's been great.' Carrasco's stay was brief but impactful, in the wrong way. The 38-year-old was 2-2 with a 5.91 ERA in eight games (six starts), and it seemed like he just didn't have it anymore in the 16th season of an otherwise impressive career. He made his last Yankees appearance on May 4. Then the team designated him for assignment. He's since hung around Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, but he hasn't been good there either, with a 4.95 ERA in six games. Carrasco was a positive force inside the Yankees' clubhouse during spring training and at the beginning of the season, but he didn't get it done on the field.
