Historic firsts will take place Friday night in San Francisco as the Golden State Valkyries begin their inaugural WNBA season at home against the Los Angeles Sparks.
The Valkyries are the WNBA’s first expansion team in 17 years, and their head coach, Natalie Nakase, is the first Asian American coach in the league.
“I see it as a big responsibility to open doors for everyone else,” Nakase told NBC Bay Area. “The first is not about me. It’s about how many other doors or positions I can open up for Asian Americans or people who look like me.”
Rapper E-40, a Vallejo native, is set to perform during halftime of Friday night’s opener, and Goapele, an Oakland native, will sing the national anthem.
Chase Center will be decked out with purple T-shirts across every fan’s seat in the arena.
Tip-off is at 7 p.m.
Source: NBC Bay Area