Golden State Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase just got back from the FIBA World Cup in Germany and straight up asked, “What day is it right now?” Wednesday afternoon felt like midnight to her, and honestly, that jet lag vibe tells you *everything* about where the Valkyries are at. This team just reconvened after a wild three-week break, and now it’s absolutely go time with the WNBA playoffs looming.
Gold Medal Highs Meet Playoff Push Head-On
Nakase knows that feeling of exhaustion firsthand. She was an assistant coach on the gold medal-winning USA team, so she just lived through an “intense, whirlwind three weeks of competition” overseas. But she’s not alone: key players Gabby Williams and Janelle Salaün, who played in the gold medal game for France, along with Cecilia Zandalasini, who played for Italy, are all in the same boat, still trying to get on California time. Nakase herself admitted, “We played six games in ten days and with the travel… if I’m tired, I can only imagine how they feel.” These players expended a ton of energy in Germany, basically a playoff push in itself, and now they’re landing smack in the middle of another one. It’s a huge challenge to flip that switch from international competition to the grind of the WNBA regular season finish.
Blending Rested Legs With World-Class Exhaustion
While some of the Valkyries were battling for medals, the rest of the squad was on a “weirdly-timed but not fully unwelcome” rest and reset. Veronica Burton, for example, took full advantage of the break with a Mexican beach vacation. She called it a “mental, emotional, physical reset” for those who weren’t competing. Now, Nakase has to figure out how to combine these totally different energy levels and hit the ground running. She’s talking “intentional check-ins” with the FIBA players, giving them “space to sleep” and reminding them to “rest, recover” so they’re healthy for playoff time. With just four regular season games left before the WNBA playoffs kick off on September 27, every decision on managing minutes and fatigue is huge, especially with back-to-back games this weekend.
First-Ever Home Playoff Game On The Horizon
Despite the unique challenge of integrating a jet-lagged international contingent, this is an incredibly exciting time for the Valkyries. They’ve made the postseason two-for-two in their franchise’s lifetime, which is just insane! For the first time ever, they’ll host a playoff game at Chase Center. Think about that: a home playoff game! They’re currently sitting in second place, and while their likely first-round opponent will be Washington, Dallas, or New York, the focus right now has to be on getting everyone aligned. Nakase even saw tons of Valkyries fans rocking their gear and shouting “Go Valks” all the way in Germany! That’s a global impact in just two seasons. This team’s next few games are all about finding their rhythm and making sure they’re locked and loaded to kick off that playoff run at home.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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