![\"sugar-rodgers-valkyries-052026.jpg](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/sugar-rodgers-valkyries-052026.jpg#.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nA game at Ballhalla is loud. A shot made by Veronica Burton or Gabby Williams can practically deafen the crowd.<\/p>\n
It’s become a staple of the Golden State Valkyries home-crowd advantage that was ranked best in the league by WNBA general managers. <\/p>\n
Less than a decade ago, it was Sugar Rodgers sending crowds into eruption. The Valkyries assistant coach was a WNBA Champion, All-Star, and a Sixth Woman of the Year throughout her career. <\/p>\n
“I wish I could have played for these fans,” Rodgers said while mimicking a three-point shot. “I would’ve been letting it rain all over the place.” <\/p>\n
Rodgers retired from the WNBA after the 2022 season, ending an eight-year career. She was a 34% shooter from three. <\/p>\n
After playing, she began her coaching career immediately. First with the Las Vegas Aces, then in the NCAA until Natalie Nakase hired her before the Valks inaugural season. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Sugar Rodgers, an assistant coach of the Golden State Vaklyries.<\/p>\n
CBS<\/p>\n
“Sugar has been in their shoes so it’s really nice to have a former player to tell them the truth but really cares about them off the court as well,” Nakase said. <\/p>\n
Rodgers might be a coach, but she’s played with or against some many of her players.<\/p>\n
“Don’t leave her open, that’s all I’ll say,” Tiffany Hayes said. “She was a hot. We got hots in practice, she was a hot, red hot.” <\/p>\n
Hayes was an opponent for years. Kiah Stokes was not only her teammate, but her roommate for years with the New York Liberty. <\/p>\n
“She was quiet and she was a bucket,” Stokes said. “She didn’t talk a lot, but she had that step back, that range, you had to guard her at half court really.” <\/p>\n
Rodgers is just a few years older than both those players. This offseason, she was thrusted into action to play against some of the current Valkyries who quickly learned how talented she is as a shooter. <\/p>\n
“There’s a lot of them that don’t know but they find out,” Rodgers joked. “They find that out real quick when I give them a little cook-up, but them in my cookbook.” <\/p>\n
She even jokes now that with increased salaries in the new WNBA collective bargaining agreement she should give a comeback a thought. <\/p>\n
“If they want to pay me now, Ohemaa [Nyanin] you hear this, sign me up,” Rodgers said.<\/p>\n
Nakase doesn’t think it is a bad idea. <\/p>\n
“She saw those salaries get up, she’s just like ‘let me try it, let me try out,'” Nakase said. “I said ‘hey why not having a first coach-player, is that legal?'” <\/p>\n
For now, the Valkyries are keeping her as an assistant. She quickly made an impression on Nakase for being so vulnerable and open, which won over the head coach’s trust. <\/p>\n
Her players envision a future head coach in Rodgers, but she’s content right where she is for now. <\/p>\n
“At some point, but I’m just right now where my feet are,” Rodgers said. “I’m getting to learn from Natalie and the rest of the coaching staff so one day at a time for me.” <\/p>\n
Ballhalla’s success is the new blueprint for WNBA expansion teams. Another three will be added to the league by 2030. Rodgers might just be in contention for one of those jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n More from CBS News\n <\/p>\n