SAN FRANCISCO – Kaila Charles always had the confidence that she would make it in the WNBA. Even when she was bouncing around the fringes of the league on hardship contracts and non-guaranteed deals, Charles never doubted her abilities and her game, which is why she eventually found her way to the Golden State Valkyries and became one of their most impactful two-way energizers.
But while Charles was always assured in her game, she wasn’t always assured in her natural hair. Which is why Charles, who is rocking her natural hair right now with confidence and joy, feels like where she’s at right now is a full-circle moment in her journey of self-acceptance.
“I did it maybe a few months ago, just to kind of start fresh and just start a new chapter, and also embrace my natural hair,” Charles told ClutchPoints about why she went back to her natural hair.
“I think there’s a stigma with natural hair. Sometimes it’s not deemed professional or beautiful. Growing up, it wasn’t as popular as it was now, and so just as I was getting older and coming into who I am as a woman, I just wanted to wear it and be that representation for younger girls.”
Charles recounted people calling her natural hair “unmanageable” and “nappy” when she was growing up, and the damage those comments did to her at an impressionable age.
“Having natural hair, especially my texture, where it’s more coily than loose curls, it wasn’t deemed very pretty,” Charles said. “I kind of internalized it to the point where I didn’t want to wear it out as much. And I didn’t realize how conditioned society had me. To not accept who I was and how I was made.”
“As I grew up and learned more about myself and got deep in my faith, I understood God made me exactly how I was supposed to [be], and it was a matter of me accepting that. And I feel like wearing your hair out as a black woman, it’s just like a stance of like confidence, pride, just taking in who you are.”
Support from the community
Still, going back to her natural hair was a bit of a leap of faith for Charles. Some of those negative comments and self-deprecatory talk still rattled around in the back of her head. But taking that leap of faith got a lot less scary once the Valkyrie fanbase chimed in.
Across the Valkyries’ socials, under their post of Charles’ tunnel walk into the arena, an official re-debut of her natural hair to go along with her stylish flowing brown cape fit, the fans had nothing but positivity for Charles.
Not all heroes wear capes, but @_kailacharles does
@Rakuten | Arrivals pic.twitter.com/91LGVrssaB
— Golden State Valkyries (@valkyries) June 16, 2026
And on Threads, the love poured into Charles’ replies.
User @tristannnava commented, “my girl definitely said ‘kaila looks so pretty mom! her hair is beautiful!’” @jodilu73 told Charles, “Loved seeing your natural hair on the court and it’s so important for so many little girls watching you.” @briereddick added, “You were flying up and down that court tonight! Rocking the fro I just know you felt extra light! Love it!!!”
“It was kind of not scary, you know? It was kind of nervous to do. But coming out here and receiving all the love that I did on game day, it made my heart warm and made my day,” Charles said.
“Everybody had something nice to say, and then obviously I just expressed it on threads, and that turned into a big thing, and people were responding. People were saying how their kids and their young girls admired it and loved it. And so I had a really good full-circle heartwarming moment last week. It was really nice.”
In a bigger Threads post, Charles expressed her gratitude to the fans, thanking them for their love and support.
“I got soooo many compliments on my hair today, definitely healed my inner child a bit
,” Charles posted. “I’m sorry if I didn’t respond to all the comments… but thank you all! We truly have the best fans! 
”
Look good, feel good, play good
But Charles doesn’t just generate good energy off the court. In 15 games for the Valkyries this season, Charles is averaging 6.1 points and 5.1 rebounds on 39.1% shooting. She’s a huge part of Golden State’s swarming defense, which ranks second-best in the league, with her tenacity on the glass and her aggressiveness at the point of attack.
It’s that fight and grit that endears her so much to her teammates and head coach Natalie Nakase.
“Kai brings a different level of energy,” Nakase said after Charles’ 13 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and a +15 plus/minus in their win over the Sparks. “I feel like every time I watch her play, it’s a new level of energy… Her energy was super infectious. That’s why we kept punching. Because of her effort and energy.”
And Charles’ energy has been especially important as of late. After a shaky stretch of games in which the Valkyries nearly surrendered multiple double-digit leads, Nakase challenged their effort, hustle, and grit. Especially on the boards. And in their last two wins, it’s been Charles who’s led that charge, crashing the offensive boards on critical possessions.
Could Charles’ energy and strong play as of late be due to her fresh new hairstyle? Perhaps.
There’s that old adage in sports: look good, feel good, play good. But regardless of how her hair makes her feel on the court, Charles hopes she can instill confidence in young black girls with how she operates.
All of those things she wishes she could tell her younger self, Charles gets to tell the next generation.
“Black women in their hair, people like to police it,” Charles said. “I don’t want people to hide their hair because they’re ashamed of it, or because they don’t deem it as acceptable. And so I would just tell myself to just accept it. Just love it.”
Ultimately, Charles hopes the young black girls watching her hoop understand that their natural hair isn’t something to hide. Quite the opposite, it’s something to explore and embrace.
“That’s the great thing about Black Girl Magic. We can pull up in any hairstyle, any color, anything, and we look good. And that’s what I want young girls to know, that we look good no matter what. It’s just more of the confidence through the way you wear your hair, however it may be. If you just walk with pride, people will feel that aura.”
And Valkyries and their fanbase certainly feels Charles’ aura everywhere she goes. It’s in the way she walks, the way she talks, the way she wreaks havoc on the court, and the way she embraces herself.
The post Exclusive: How Valkyries’ Kaila Charles’ is embracing love and self-acceptance with her natural hair appeared first on ClutchPoints.
