The Golden State Valkyries may be relatively new to the WNBA, but their impact can’t be denied. Right after a playoff run in their debut season, the WNBA’s newest franchise has already gotten people talking and now, they’ve taken it one step further. Two and a half years after their $50 million expansion entry, the Valkyries have been valued at a league-high $850 million while heading into 2026. Usually, that kind of number turns heads across the league but head coach Natalie Nakase believes in keeping her focus somewhere else.

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According to a recent Sportico report, the Valkyries are valued at $850M in 2026, followed by the New York Liberty ($600M), Indiana Fever ($560M), and Seattle Storm ($456M). Head coach Nakase reflected on it in her recent press conference, remarking that it’s the ownership group’s efforts that have taken this team to such heights and humbly declined to take any credit.

“I mean, that’s incredible,” Nakase said. “It’s a testament to Joe Lacob, our ownership, our leadership, Jess Smith. I mean, that’s them. I have nothing to do with that. And I am just trying to learn from them as much as I can. They are shooting for the stars, they want to be elite and no.1 in women’s sports’ all-time history. I’m just lucky that I get to learn in real time and just be able to pick their brains. That’s pretty impressive, second year $850M, I got lot to learn.”

Natalie Nakase on the news today that the Valkyries being evaluated at $850 million, the most in the WNBA, in just their second season:

“A testament to, obviously, Joe Lacob, our ownership, our leadership. Jess Smith. I mean, that’s them. I have nothing to do with that.” pic.twitter.com/aNDOLq4VEd

— Kenzo Fukuda (@kenzofuku) May 1, 2026

Generally speaking, the Golden State being the most valuable team in the league isn’t a surprise, especially considering they had already racked up $500M last season and were at the top of the charts. They have built on that foundation perfectly, adding around $78M in revenue through 2025 alongside other major sources.

The Valkyries were blooming, with attendance and merchandise sales at record levels last season, which contributed significantly to their revenue. For instance, reports suggest that the franchise’s season ticket stocks sold out last year. On top of that, the team’s home games at the Chase Center also got sold out every time.

The average attendance of the Valkyries’ home games was in the neighborhood of 18,000, quite an impressive number. “History isn’t just made on the hardwood; it’s forged in the stands,” team President Jess Smith said after the team’s steller attendance numbers last season.

On top of that, since the franchise gained prominence, merchandise sales have surged along with it. The team’s valuation isn’t limited to that, because lucrative sponsorships also affect brand value. Currently, the Valkyries are in association with top-tier sponsors like JPMorganChase, Sephora, and United Airlines, which puts the team in the league forefront in terms of valuation.

From Nakase’s assessment, it’s pretty clear that she’s just interested in the team’s on-court stuff. But that plays a role in the growth of a team’s brand value as well. And in that regard she did a great job in her first year at the Valkyries helm, giving the team an identity, which is quite important for any expansion team. The team reached the playoffs last year, losing out to the Minnesota Lynx in the first round but it gave them a room for a foundation. And for all the money, they are looking to build from where they left off last season.

Addressing it in her conversation, Natalie Nakase clearly reflected that while the ownership is doing the job perfectly, taking the team to a new ceiling on-court rests on her shoulders. “We want to win too,” she said. “I was hired for a reason too. So, I got to do my job. They’re shooting for the stars and they are being top of their game, and so that just pushes me more.”

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USA Today via Reuters

The fandom around the WNBA isn’t going anywhere. With lucrative broadcasting deals for the league, its spectrum is only expanding. And in turn, it’s quite certain that Golden State Valkyries will get more visibility and fandom as years pass by. But it must be remembered that it is ultimately tied to the team’s league positioning. And head coach Nakase knows perfectly where she sees her team in that regard.

Natalie Nakase Isn’t Relying on Past Success to Build on Valkyries’ Legacy in 2026

Last season was a dream run for an expansion team in its second year. The team went 23-21. making it clear they aren’t just in the league to exist but to bid for silverware. The team’s glorious run gave Natalie Nakase the returns as the league named her the WNBA Coach of the Year. But for the Valkyries’ head coach, none of it matters going into 2026 as her team begins from point zero.

“So for year two, we understand that after a successful year one, nothing carries over, not one basket, not one award,” she said in a recent conversation. “So, for us our goal for this season is to win a Championship. Here at Golden State, that’s the standard, that’s the expectation. We only hand out banners and collect rings. So with that type of  expectation, our goal is to win.”

To honor their aspirations, the franchise has made some right calls as well in the preseason. Trading off Flau’jae Johnson on the trade night can be a questionable decision. But the team’s other free agency decisions were quite on point. For instance, the team signed veteran forward Gabby Williams and also brought back Tiffany Hayes and Veronica Burton to form a strong core going into the 2026 season.

Notably, Natalie Nakase’s team made a good start to their preseason campaign. The team looked quite decent against Seattle. Their shooting was much better than the Storm’s (46% to the Storm’s 39%) and even outrebounding them 35-30 to win by 2 points. Veronica Burton looked quite impressive and finished the night with 14 points to lead the night in Williams’ absence.

Nakase’s Valkyries will tip off their official season against the same opponent on May 8 at the Climate Pledge Arena. Can Nakase and the Golden State Valkyries stand up to the expectations placed on them in this season and enhance their legacy and brand valuation further in the upcoming season? Do let us know in the comments.