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Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase collapsed late in a series-winning victory against the Dallas Wings due to exhaustion and lightheadedness, but the team confirmed she is expected to coach Game 1 of the semifinals against the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday.
Golden State Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase collapsed on the court near the team's bench in a scary moment late in a 77-73 series-winning victory over the Dallas Wings on Friday night at Chase Center in San Francisco.
The Valkyries told ESPN's Kendra Andrews that Nakase was feeling exhausted and lightheaded when she collapsed for a brief period but that she was feeling fine after the game. Nakase is expected to coach Game 1 of the semifinals against the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday, the team said. The incident occurred during a Wings timeout with 1:40 left. Nakase was speaking to an official when she suddenly fell to her hands and knees.
She appeared dazed as she was helped up by athletic trainer Katelin Knox but returned to the Valkyries bench and led the team's huddle. Nakase finished the game but exited the floor while escorted by a member of her staff after the final horn, with her team celebrating at midcourt. Assistant coach Kasib Powell addressed the media in a postgame news conference where Nakase typically speaks.
"Natalie's fine," Powell said. "Obviously, it's a quick turnaround, we play again on Sunday. She wouldn't miss it for anything.
" He added: "It's still new to us. We're just trying to figure it out. We just know that we her afterward and she was fine, laughing, in great spirits. We'll figure out more as we go, but I think she's totally fine.
She's talking. She's laughing in the back. We look forward to preparing and getting ready for Sunday.
" The Valkyries will host the defending champion Aces for Game 1 in the best-of-five semifinals. "She's OK. She's fine," guard Gabby Williams said.
"We just tried to step up ourselves. We're just happy that she's OK.
" Guard Tiffany Hayes said she didn't see Nakase go down and that the coach was right back at it, even successfully winning a challenge. "Didn't miss a beat," Powell said. "We were locked in as that happened, when she went to the sidelines she drew the next play up, she was in the huddle getting on them about getting a stop, so she didn't skip a beat at all.
" Powell added that the Valkyries kept their composure "and just rally around each other and her. " "We do know that she will be ready for Sunday," Powell said. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
WNBA Natalie Nakase Golden State Valkyries Dallas Wings Las Vegas Aces
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