SAN FRANCISCO – It's one thing to have a vision; it's another thing to execute it. And it's a whole other, seismic thing to see it actually come to fruition. But that's precisely what the Golden State Valkyries have accomplished as the expansion franchise finds itself in the WNBA Finals in just its second season of existence.
In a zoom press conference with approved media Thursday morning, general manager Ohemaa Nyanin reflected on all the steps, both little and large, that the Valkyries organization took to put together a team four wins away from bringing home a championship, starting with how she evaluates the right characteristics in a player in building a team that prioritizes connectivity and culture.
“The totality of the circumstances of anybody is really important. I think for our athletes, more specifically, something that I've talked about in the past is being a product of your experiences,” Nyanin said. “I would say (a) relentless pursuit of excellence is a big thing. Not allowing for no to be the end of your story. Really trying to find ways to problem solve and pivot. Wanting to buy into a system and really wanting to be connected, not just on the court but off the court.
“I think I've also said previously is that if I'm having a conversation with an athlete, we already know that they can play the sport. So it's, ‘What else can you bring to this organization?' And starting with a blank slate again, like I've said, means that you have to do more than play the game. You need to be able to be an ambassador for this organization and also want to be part of the community.”
It's a team-building philosophy Nyanin and the Valkyries have adhered to since Day 1 of the program. Whether it was re-signing their key culture setters from last season, bringing in high-character players like Gabby Williams and Kiah Stokes (who just so happen to be talented hoopers that fit their system), or even forgoing a roster-shaking transaction at the trade deadline, Nyanin has fiercely abided by her ethos of finding high-character individuals to maintain their team-first, strength-in-numbers culture.
But even the steadfast Nyanin had to admit she did not expect this team to get this close with each other this quickly.
“The timing around how quickly they came together as a team,” Nyanin said when asked if there were any unexpected aspects about the team that came together organically. “The foundation of signing our core players back, and then the openness to having different athletes on the team– you just never know if it's going to work out. And the athletes did just as much work as myself and the staff have in turn in trying to get to know one another on a deeper level, and not trying to be surface, and so I would just say time. Just the unexpected of the amount of time that they put in with each other, both on and off the court.”
Connection with Natalie Nakase and Gabby Williams
But among the many important facets of Nyanin's tenure in Golden State, her relationship with head coach Natalie Nakase may be the most consequential. Nyanin reflected on a moment during Nakase's introductory press conference two years ago that set the tone for how the two would go about building the Valkyries into a championship contender.
“(Nakase) just put her hand on my shoulder and she said, ‘She's not going to let me fail,'” Nyanin recounted. “That was a very important (public) moment for her and I to pledge to each other, behind the scenes (as well) but also publicly, that we're not going to let each other fail. That has really resonated through all the conversations. We're both really opinionated about different parts of the game, how we want the game to look one way or the other, and it's founded in respect and care.”
It was that gesture by Nakase, in her very Nakase-esque way of engaging the people around her, that built the foundation for countless detail-oriented, honest, and ambitious back-and-forths between general manager and head coach on their vision for the Valkyries. In Year 1, that resulted in a deliberate and intentional choice to be competitive, forgoing of the more laid-back, long-term path of tanking and accumulating draft capital.
That direction from Nyanin and Nakase, which resulted in Golden State becoming the first expansion team in WNBA history to make the playoffs, not only set the tone for the Valkyries culture moving forward but also drew the attention of Gabby Williams, who was looking for a place where she could win, a place where she was wanted. And the results from Williams joining Golden State speak for themselves. The second-best record in the regular season. A First-Team All-Defense selection. A WNBA Finals appearance. And for Williams, the love and adoration from the Bay Area.
It's the kind of signing that is franchise-altering, which Nyanin knew was possible from the moment Williams put pen to paper. But even the calculated and detail-oriented Nyanin couldn't predict how culture-defining Williams could be.
“I knew that she was kind, but I didn't know the length of her kindness,” Nyanin said. To illustrate Williams' kindness, Nyanin recounted a moment when Williams approached her in the player hallway during training camp. Nyanin, thinking something was wrong, remembered herself racing through a million different worst-case scenarios about what Williams could be wanting to talk to her about. But the pressing issue on Williams' mind was only concern for the Valkyries' practice players and their shoe sizes.
“She says, ‘Can you please help me get all of the sizes of our practice players' shoes so that I can get them basketball shoes?'” Nyanin recounted. “And in that moment, I was just like taken aback, looking at myself, self-reflection, like maybe not everything has to be wrong. And also just an admiration for somebody who cares so deeply, who just walked into the door, day three or four of training camp, and that was a pressing issue for her. That kindness and generosity and graciousness has shined through.”
Article Continues BelowTaking a breath before the Finals
There's still a WNBA Finals series to be won before Nyanin and the Valkyries can truly revel in the house of success they've built brick by brick. But to see the work they've done express itself in a million different milestones, both big and small, is gratifying for Nyanin. The vision she had for the Valkyries, one of winning and connectivity and an athlete-first ethos, has come to life in a way that is both viable and successful.
And among the many moments that have justified Nyanin's feelings that the Valkyries have taken the right steps was when the players huddled up and took a deep breath in unison while trailing in the do-or-die elimination Game 3 against the Dallas Wings.
“The collective moment of breath that the athletes took on court during Game Three was the epitome of things that we have said here and there,” Nyanin said. “We haven't done that behind the scenes. But in that moment, kind of all the little things that we've been able to put together, I took a breath as well just to say like, yeah, they will fight with each other and for each other. And that's exactly why I'm doing the job that I'm doing.”
All that stands in the way of Nyanin and the Valkyries is the hungry and battle-tested Atlanta Dream. Game 1 will tip off Saturday at 12:30 pm PST.