The Valkyries’ inaugural WNBA season was one for the books. During this season, the Valkyries became the first WNBA expansion team to make the playoffs during their first year, and multiple Valkyries players made All-WNBA teams and won end-of-season awards. Head Coach Natalie Nakase also won the 2025 WNBA Coach of the Year award.
Behind all of this was the Valkyries’ president, Jess Smith, who was recently awarded the 2025 WNBA Business Executive Leadership Award presented by Deloitte.
In a video posted by the Valkyries, general manager Ohemaa Nyanin called Smith “the basketball leader of the world.” In how quickly the Valkyries were able to rise to the top of the WNBA, that seems accurate. In their first season, the Valkyries created an incredible brand in addition to playing incredible basketball. This year alone, the Valkyries coined the term Ballhalla to refer to their arena, partnered with Sephora, and even debuted a mascot — a purple raven named Vi.
“Thank you, and cheers to an incredible season,” Smith said in her acceptance speech. “and we can’t wait for 2026.”
