Alex Sarama, Cavs Assistant, Will Coach Fire in the WNBA

Alex Sarama, new coach of the Portland Fire

The Portland Fire, a WNBA expansion team, has hired Alex Sarama, assistant coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers, as their inaugural head coach. This was announced by the team and Sarama himself. Sarama is recognized for his knowledge of an innovative training system that has gained popularity in European basketball, soccer, and, increasingly, in the NBA. Players like Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs and coaches like Kenny Atkinson of Cleveland are proponents of this approach.

Having the opportunity to implement the principles of CLA (Constraints-Led Approach) with an expansion team is an ideal scenario.

Alex Sarama

Sarama explained that the possibility of implementing CLA principles with an expansion team is ideal. This is because he and the general manager, Vanja Černivec, can hire staff that fits the new system, without the need to unlearn a previous system. Černivec, who comes from the Golden State Valkyries, where she served as vice president of basketball operations, has a deep knowledge of the European market. She met Sarama years ago, when they both worked at the NBA office in Madrid, and was impressed by his intellect and passion for coaching.

For me, he was a genius.

Vanja Černivec

In addition to his academy, Sarama had successful stints as a coach with the London Lions, Paris Basketball, and RipCity Remix. His fame grew after the publication of his bestseller, “Transforming Basketball”, in 2024. One of the coaches who read that book was Atkinson, who hired him as a player development coach for the Cavaliers.

Kenny really empowered me. That was huge. Because once the players understand it and start to see how much it improves them, and you have complete acceptance, then you can do more and more with it.

Alex Sarama

The CLA is a training methodology that emphasizes adaptability, improvisation, and decision-making, rather than predetermined movement patterns and exercises. For example, Sarama rarely repeats the same exercise twice; instead, he uses small-sided games with different constraints, such as rule changes, scoring modifications, or time limits, to force players to make decisions under pressure. Sarama explained that players usually show enthusiasm for this methodology, as it represents a significant change from what they are used to in their NBA careers. They consider it more attractive, as they don’t know what to expect in each practice, unlike the usual exercises. The hiring of coaches from the NBA is increasingly common in the WNBA, especially after the success of the Phoenix Mercury under coach Nate Tibbetts, former assistant of the Portland Trail Blazers, and general manager Nick U’Ren, former assistant of the Golden State Warriors. Sarama mentioned that they are still discussing with the Cavaliers when she will leave Cleveland to start full-time in Portland. The WNBA collective bargaining agreement expires on October 31, and it is not clear how the negotiations will affect the expansion draft and free agency. For now, she will remain in Cleveland. However, she hopes that her start in Portland, which will begin playing in May 2026, will not be delayed much.