Team USA coach faces major headache ahead of WNBA reunion in World Cup final

Team USA coach Natalie Nakase is facing a major headache ahead of the FIBA World Cup final.

Having reached every semi-final since 1986, Team USA secured a fifth consecutive World Cup final appearance after overcoming Spain 76-66 in Saturday’s semi-final in Berlin.

The Americans controlled much of the contest but had to withstand a late third-quarter surge from Spain before pulling away in the final five minutes. Breanna Stewart led the way with 16 points, while Kahleah Copper added 13 and Jackie Young contributed 12. Team USA will face France in Sunday’s final and as an assistant coach for Team USA, Nakase must focus on helping the team secure its fifth gold medal.

Nakase will face two of her Golden State Valkyries players, Gabby Williams and Janelle Salaün, when Team USA takes on France. The matchup presents an intriguing challenge for the assistant coach, who will be tasked with helping the Americans contain players she knows well.

Nakase's familiarity with Williams and Salaün could prove valuable as Team USA prepares to counter France's strengths. However, with the WNBA playoffs on the horizon, the coach will also have to balance her international responsibilities with the interests of her own team. While Nakase will be determined to help Team USA win gold, the question remains how much insight she will share about her players.

The Valkyries have built their success around the WNBA’s best defense, leading the league in defensive rating while also ranking first in limiting opponents’ points in the paint and points off turnovers.

That defensive identity has helped propel the Valkyries to No. 2 in the standings, with four regular-season games remaining after the FIBA break. For now, though, Nakase’s attention is firmly on helping Team USA chase World Cup gold.

Williams led France into the Women’s FIBA World Cup final after scoring 22 points in an 86-64 semifinal victory over hosts Germany on Saturday.

The Valkyries star also added five rebounds as France overcame a determined German side in front of a partisan crowd at Berlin Arena. The result moved France one step closer to the World Cup title and set up a final showdown with Team USA.

France reached the Women’s World Cup final for the first time in history, with Salaün also playing a key role in the semifinal victory. Salaün, the older sister of Charlotte Hornets forward Tidjane Salaün, recorded a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds as France secured its place in Sunday’s showpiece.

Sunday’s game is a rematch of the 2024 Paris Olympic final. Team USA edged France 67-66 in the Olympic gold medal game in Paris, with the Americans surviving after Williams’ last-second shot fell just inside the three-point line, rather than beyond it to force overtime.

However, Salaün insisted the dramatic 2024 final is firmly in the past and will have no bearing on Sunday’s decider. “That was two years ago,” Salaün said of the Olympics. “There were different people involved, different players, so now we’re focusing on tomorrow and the here and now.”