“Play Like Your Life Depends On It”: Natalie Nakase Makes Her Expectations Clear to Valkyries Locker Room Before Historic Game 7

A championship can slip away in a matter of minutes, and the Golden State Valkyries had a sneak peek at how quickly that can happen. After taking a 3-2 lead in the WNBA Finals, they saw a potential series-deciding Game 6 go Atlanta’s way, and with the first Game 7 in WNBA history underway, head coach Natalie Nakase’s message to her locker room before the players took to the court was unambiguous. “It’s a win-or-die mentality,” Nakase said during a pregame interview when asked what her message to her team was.