Meet Kasib Powell: The assistant coach who has been developing the Valkyries from the inside out
SAN FRANCISCO - Kasib Powell walks off the practice floor the same way each time.
Drenched in sweat. Voice still carrying. A smile spread across his face.
For approximately two hours every practice, the Valkyries' assistant coach hollers, pushes and demands as much as he can from his players.
And when a player finally gets the rep right, Powell is often the loudest one celebrating.
To him, the gym is a proving ground and he's in it with you.
That relentless enthusiasm is contagious and has been foundational to what the Valkyries are building.
Powell arrived in the Bay carrying a resume forged in the grind of pro hoops as a former NBA Developmental League (now known as the G-League) MVP who spent a decade playing overseas before becoming a coach.
During his three-year tenure as the coach of the Sioux Falls Skyforce – the G-League affiliate of the Miami Heat – his team recorded the most call-ups in the league. Proof of his ability to pull the best out of young players wasn't a theory, but a track record.
In Golden State's second season, player growth has mattered. With a roster filled with players expected to take the next step, Powell's work ethic and his passion for developing players have made him one of the quiet cornerstones of the Valkyries' early success.
"I needed a coach next to me that had head-coaching experience," Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase said. "He has a very calm presence. He has a great feel in terms of how to deliver really tough messages to the players, and he builds really genuine relationships with the players."
For Powell, Year 2 has brought another level of comfort after not previously coaching women's basketball before.
"I think my biggest growth is just learning the league really," Powell told the Bay Area News Group. "I think I really was a sponge last year, just soaking in as much as I can. I learned a lot from the players as well. So just having feedback and talking to them, seeing what works, what doesn’t work, I think that helped me as a coach."
Powell had a storied playing career prior to becoming a coach.
The New Jersey native played under legendary coach Bobby Knight at Texas Tech for two seasons before going undrafted in the 2003 NBA draft.
He spent his early playing career in Serbia, Bosnia, Russia and Greece before becoming an elite player in the G-League.
Powell signed with the Skyforce in 2007, a team coached by current Phoenix Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts. That season, Powell averaged 22.2 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game en route to winning the league's MVP award. He wound up playing 11 games with the Miami Heat in 2008.
"Kasib is one of those guys that had an impact on my life early in my coaching career," Tibbetts said. "Kasib is a legend in the Skyforce organization. He was a big time competitor."
Powell retired in 2013, but immediately went into coaching. He took over a local AAU program in Sioux Falls for a few years before becoming the Skyforce's assistant coach in 2016. Powell spent five years with Sioux Falls as an assistant before becoming the team's head coach in 2021. He spent three seasons leading the Skyforce.
From there, Powell became an assistant with the Heat in 2024. After one year with the NBA team, he was offered the chance to be an assistant under Nakase.
That credibility traveled with him to the Bay Area.
When Nakase assembled her staff, she needed someone who could bridge the gap between potential and production for a roster in its expansion season. Powell's fingerprints are all over that process, but nowhere more visible than in the development of Golden State's post players.
Center Kiah Stokes and forward Laeticia Amihere have both taken noticeable strides this season, and those inside the organization point to Powell's daily investment as a driving force.
For Stokes, Powell has helped the 11-year veteran and three-time champion to feel comfortable playing in a starting role. Stokes was brought in to be the backup to Iliana Rupert, but when the team announced the French sharpshooter was pregnant a day before the season started, Stokes was thrust into being the Valkyries starter.
Stokes is on pace to have her best season in over six years, and some of that can be traced back to Powell.
"She sits a lot with Kasib Powell and they do a lot of like open conversations," Nakase said. "Whatever Kia sees, she’ll tell Kasib and vice versa, and I think that early type of connection has really helped Kia along the way because it’s a new role, it’s a new city."
For Amihere, the work has centered on her embracing her role and Powell has let her know that on more than one occasion.
"He’s a great energy guy. He’s always smiling, but he’s gonna tell me to work hard," Amihere said. “In training camp, he sat me down and was like, ‘This is what we need for you.' So I really took on that role and I've just appreciated him for his candidness and his energy every day."
The results have validated the investment.
Stokes is producing at a level she hasn't reached in years. Amihere has bought into her role. And the Valkyries, still trying to figure out how to configure their front court, have a coach on the bench whose influence has been a driving force in player development and the team’s early success.
"For me, it's about not being complacent and taking it to another level," Powell said. "I think if we do that, we give ourselves a good chance to win."
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This story was originally published June 4, 2026 at 5:04 PM.