What happened to Natalie Nakase? What we know after Valkyries coach falls to court
Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase fell to the court in a scary moment late in a WNBA playoff game. Here's what we know.
On October 3, 2026, the Golden State Valkyries secured their first playoff series victory by defeating the Dallas Wings 77-73. Head coach Natalie Nakase experienced a concerning incident during the game. At the 1:40 mark of the fourth quarter, while discussing with an official at a timeout, Nakase suddenly fell to the ground, appearing to collapse.
Assistant coaches and medical personnel immediately rushed to her aid, but she managed to regain her footing after a brief period on the ground. She walked back to the bench, holding her head, and continued to run the timeout and communicate with her team, who were unaware of her health issue. Despite the alarming moment, Nakase successfully led the Valkyries to the end of the game.
Following the victory, Nakase appeared unwell again, rubbing her temple and side of her head as she shook hands with the Dallas Wings coach, Jose Fernandez. She required assistance from her staff as she walked away. Updates on Nakase's condition will be provided as more information becomes available.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
