USA Basketball names Tibbetts, Nakase and White as assistants for the Women’s World Cup

TL;DR

Nate Tibbetts, Natalie Nakase, and Stephanie White have been named assistant coaches for the U.S. women's basketball team at the FIBA Women's World Cup in September. They previously assisted during the World Cup qualifying tournament in March.

Key points

Nate Tibbetts, Natalie Nakase, and Stephanie White named assistants
Coaching for the FIBA Women's World Cup in September
All three were part of the World Cup qualifying tournament staff

Mentioned in this story

Nate TibbettsNatalie NakaseStephanie White

USA Women's National TeamPhoenix MercuryGolden State ValkyriesIndiana Fever

Nate Tibbetts, Natalie Nakase and Stephanie White will assist Kara Lawson coaching the U.S. women's basketball team at the FIBA Women's World Cup in September. The trio of WNBA coaches were on staff for the World Cup qualifying tournament in March. “Over the last several months, I’ve seen the incredible impact Natalie, Nate and Stephanie have each had on the USA Women’s National Team program,” USA Basketball Women’s National Team managing director Sue Bird said. “They have elite basketball minds and are all leaders who understand what it takes to represent the U.S. at the highest level." The U.S. has won the last four World Cup titles and will try to make it five in a row in Berlin. The team will be selected this summer and could feature young stars Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers to go along with four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. Tibbetts is in his third season as head coach of the Phoenix Mercury while Nakase is in her second year with the Golden State Valkyries. White is in her second year in charge of the Indiana Fever. Nakase was the WNBA Coach of the Year last season after leading the expansion Valkyries to the playoffs. She has a decade of NBA, WNBA and international coaching experience. Before taking over at , she served as an assistant for the , Los Angeles Clippers and Agua Caliente Clippers. She also was the head coach of the Saitama Broncos (Japan) and Wolfenbuttel Wildcats (Germany) and assistant coach for the Tokyo Apache. Tibbetts guided the Mercury to the WNBA Finals last season before they lost to the Aces. He joined the team in 2024 after spending 12 years as an NBA assistant with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland Trail Blazers and Orlando Magic. In 2025, White led the Fever to their first WNBA Commissioner’s Cup and deepest postseason run since 2015 as the team advanced to the WNBA semifinals. White’s first stint with the Fever, where she served as both an assistant coach and head coach over six seasons from 2011-2016, included five consecutive WNBA semifinal appearances, two WNBA Finals and the 2012 WNBA Championship. White earned 2023 WNBA Coach of the Year honors with after leading the to the WNBA semifinals. \\_ AP WNBA:

Q&A

Who are the assistant coaches for the USA Women's World Cup team?

The assistant coaches are Nate Tibbetts, Natalie Nakase, and Stephanie White.

What is the significance of the FIBA Women's World Cup for the USA team?

The USA team aims to win their fifth consecutive World Cup title in Berlin, having won the last four championships.

What are the coaching backgrounds of Tibbetts, Nakase, and White?

Tibbetts is the head coach of the Phoenix Mercury, Nakase was the WNBA Coach of the Year, and White led the Indiana Fever to significant postseason success.