Valkyries assistant coach Sugar Rodgers looking to add another WNBA title to her resume

A game at Ballhalla is loud. A shot made by Veronica Burton or Gabby Williams can practically deafen the crowd.

It's become a staple of the Golden State Valkyries home-crowd advantage that was ranked best in the league by WNBA general managers.

Less than a decade ago, it was Sugar Rodgers sending crowds into eruption. The Valkyries assistant coach was a WNBA Champion, All-Star, and a Sixth Woman of the Year throughout her career.

"I wish I could have played for these fans," Rodgers said while mimicking a three-point shot. "I would've been letting it rain all over the place."

Rodgers retired from the WNBA after the 2022 season, ending an eight-year career. She was a 34% shooter from three.

After playing, she began her coaching career immediately. First with the Las Vegas Aces, then in the NCAA until Natalie Nakase hired her before the Valks inaugural season.

"Sugar has been in their shoes so it's really nice to have a former player to tell them the truth but really cares about them off the court as well," Nakase said.

Rodgers might be a coach, but she's played with or against some many of her players.

"Don't leave her open, that's all I'll say," Tiffany Hayes said. "She was a hot. We got hots in practice, she was a hot, red hot."

Hayes was an opponent for years. Kiah Stokes was not only her teammate, but her roommate for years with the New York Liberty.

"She was quiet and she was a bucket," Stokes said. "She didn't talk a lot, but she had that step back, that range, you had to guard her at half court really."

Rodgers is just a few years older than both those players. This offseason, she was thrusted into action to play against some of the current Valkyries who quickly learned how talented she is as a shooter.

"There's a lot of them that don't know but they find out," Rodgers joked. "They find that out real quick when I give them a little cook-up, but them in my cookbook."

She even jokes now that with increased salaries in the new WNBA collective bargaining agreement she should give a comeback a thought.

"If they want to pay me now, Ohemaa [Nyanin] you hear this, sign me up," Rodgers said.

Nakase doesn't think it is a bad idea.

"She saw those salaries get up, she's just like 'let me try it, let me try out,'" Nakase said. "I said 'hey why not having a first coach-player, is that legal?'"

For now, the Valkyries are keeping her as an assistant. She quickly made an impression on Nakase for being so vulnerable and open, which won over the head coach's trust.

Her players envision a future head coach in Rodgers, but she's content right where she is for now.

"At some point, but I'm just right now where my feet are," Rodgers said. "I'm getting to learn from Natalie and the rest of the coaching staff so one day at a time for me."

Ballhalla's success is the new blueprint for WNBA expansion teams. Another three will be added to the league by 2030. Rodgers might just be in contention for one of those jobs.