United News of Bangladesh

Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase returned to the bench and led her team to a 71-60 victory over the Las Vegas Aces in Game 1 of their WNBA semifinal series on Sunday, two days after collapsing on the sideline due to what she described as exhaustion. “Just exhaustion,” Nakase said. “I ate and drank right after and felt better.” The 46-year-old coach said she consulted a doctor on Saturday, the day before the semifinal opener, and plans to take a proactive approach to protecting both her physical and mental health. Her players had encouraged her to take time to recover, following the same advice she regularly gives them. “I’m good. I had a little exhaustion, obviously,” she said, adding that her father had taught her an important lesson about balancing work and health. About 10 years ago, when she was uncertain about her career, her father advised her never to let her professional life come at the expense of her health or mental well-being. Nakase said the recent incident served as a wake-up call. She added that medical examinations had shown no apparent problems. During Sunday's game, Nakase spent some periods sitting on the bench, unlike her usual practice of standing for most of the contest. Assistant coaches Kasib Powell and Landon Tatum took turns supporting her as she struggled to communicate everything she wanted to convey. “I was all right, I wasn't my best but luckily I have an amazing staff,” she said. Nakase said she plans to manage her demanding work routine more carefully, potentially by wearing a heart monitor and taking other precautions. She already uses a tracking ring to monitor some health indicators. “Information for me is really important,” she said. “I just want to be proactive, be smart. I understand this job for me I love it, sometimes I love it too much to a point I overwork. I just want to make sure I'm being smart.” She said this could mean limiting additional video analysis sessions and following her daily schedule more closely. “It's taking the time and organizing my mornings,” she said, noting that changing game times and schedules had affected her usual routine. The incident occurred late in Friday night's 77-73 victory over the Dallas Wings at Chase Center, when the Valkyries recovered from a 16-point deficit. With 1 minute and 40 seconds remaining, Nakase went down near her team's bench, placing her head and hands on the court. Athletic trainer Katelin Knox helped her get back to her feet. Nakase remained in the game until the final buzzer but left the court with a staff member immediately afterwards as her players celebrated their comeback victory at midcourt. The best-of-five semifinal series pits Nakase against defending champions Las Vegas and their coach, Becky Hammon. Hammon previously worked with Nakase as an assistant coach from 2022 to 2024, a period during which Las Vegas won consecutive WNBA titles in 2022 and 2023. Hammon praised Nakase's work ethic, describing her as a tireless worker. “The stress this time of year is real, the pressure, you don't get a lot of sleep, you're not eating as well as your probably should, there's a lot of factors that go into that,” Hammon said. She described watching Nakase collapse as frightening but praised her determination to continue coaching. “It was kind of scary actually to watch. That little sucker popped right back up though, popped right back up onto that marker and kept it pushing. She's tough,” Hammon said.

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham said she is not concerned that rallies linked to her views on transgender athletes are becoming a distraction for her team. Speaking before Friday night's WNBA game against the Portland Fire, Cunningham said she remains focused on basketball despite protests held outside recent Fever games. "I come in and do my job," Cunningham said. "People who know me understand that I care about others, love basketball and want to inspire young people. I'm here to play basketball and be myself." A small group of supporters gathered outside the arena before Friday's game, marking the second straight Fever game where rallies were held in support of Cunningham. A similar event took place before Indiana's game against the Seattle Storm earlier this week. Each rally drew around two dozen participants. Cunningham said she had no involvement in organising the demonstrations. "People are simply exercising their right to free speech. I respect those who choose to speak their views," she said. Another rally is planned for Sunday's game between the Fever and the Minnesota Lynx in Minneapolis. The protests followed Cunningham's recent public support for banning transgender athletes from girls' and women's sports. During Tuesday's game in Seattle, two Cunningham supporters sat courtside holding signs. Following an incident involving the fans, the WNBA fined Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton an undisclosed amount and suspended her for five games. The Storm later apologised for the incident, saying the team remains committed to providing a welcoming and respectful environment for everyone attending its games. In Portland, Cunningham was booed by sections of the crowd when she entered the game, while many fans waved pink, blue and white transgender flags. Despite the off-court attention, Indiana secured a 112-98 victory over Portland for its fifth straight win. Cunningham scored 13 points, while Caitlin Clark recorded the fourth triple-double of her WNBA career with 26 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Fever coach Stephanie White acknowledged the controversy has created challenges but said the team remains focused. "We want the attention to be on basketball and our progress as a team," White said. "At the same time, this is part of the league's growth, and we have to manage these situations while continuing to have conversations."