The Golden State Valkyries impressed many people in their inaugural WNBA season. Indiana Fever center Aliyah Boston was among those impressed, such that she ranked Valkyries Coach Natalie Nakase ahead of her team’s coach Stephanie White in the Coach of the Year race.Boston made this known when she appeared alongside Candace Parker on a Friday episode of the “Post Moves” podcast. The 2023 WNBA Rookie of the Year agreed with Parker, who credited Coach Nakase for her role in Golden State's history-making season.“We have to talk about the Valks,” Boston said. “I mean, first expansion team to make the playoffs in their debut season. I have been seriously impressed. ... But seriously, you have to give credit where credit is due and I honestly think the Valks have just had such a great season.”Candace Parker added:“Shout out to the Valkyries for coming in and disrupting what an expansion team is supposed to accomplish and a lot of that has to do with first- year coach, Natalie Nakase, who is actually my Coach of the Year vote.”Natalie Nakase was hired in October 2024 to help guide Golden State in their debut WNBA season. Before that, she had over 16 years of coaching experience, including time in the NBA, WNBA, as an assistant, where she helped the Las Vegas Aces win back-to-back championships in 2022 and 2023.With her at the helm, Golden State made the playoffs in their inaugural season. They became the first expansion team in WNBA history to do so. They finished with a 23-21 record and during the course of the season set attendance records, selling out all their 22 home games, averaging approximately 18,064 fans per game and a total attendance of 397,408, all league-record highs for expansion or debuting teams.She won the 2025 Associated Press Coach of the Year. She was also named WNBA Coach of the Month for June, after recording a 7-4 record.What’s next for the Golden State Valkyries?The Golden State Valkyries finished their debut season as the number eight seed. In the postseason, they will face the number one seed, the Minnesota Lynx in the first round of the playoffs.Jessica Shepard #15 of the Minnesota Lynx dribbles up the court against Laeticia Amihere #3 of the Golden State Valkyries - Source: GettyGame 1 of their debut playoff matchup against the Lynx will be at Minnesota on Sunday. Game 2 will be on Wednesday at the SAP Center in San Jose, instead of the Chase Center, due to a scheduling conflict. They would seek to take revenge on the Lynx who swept them 4-0 during the regular season.