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.Sarama explained that this approach allows her to impact each department and create a unified work environment. The goal is for everyone to work in harmony. Although it will be a challenge to replicate the success of the Golden State Valkyries in their first year in the WNBA, the Fire are confident in their leaders. Vanja Černivec, who joins the Fire from the Valkyries, where she was vice president of basketball operations, has a deep knowledge of the European market. Černivec met Sarama years ago at the NBA office in Madrid and was impressed by her intelligence and passion for coaching. Sarama, in addition to her academy, had successful experiences as a coach with the London Lions, Paris Basketball and RipCity Remix. Her fame grew after the publication of her bestseller, “Transforming Basketball”, in 2024. The CLA methodology focuses on adaptability, improvisation, and decision-making, rather than predetermined patterns and exercises. Sarama rarely repeats the same exercise, using games with different constraints to force players to make decisions under pressure. The players, according to Sarama, appreciate this change in their training routines. Hiring NBA coaches is becoming increasingly common in the WNBA, as demonstrated by the success of the Phoenix Mercury under coach Nate Tibbetts and general manager Nick U’Ren, both with NBA experience. Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase also comes from the ranks of NBA assistant coaches.Having the opportunity to implement the principles of CLA (Constraint-Led Approach) with an expansion team is ideal, as we can hire staff that fits the new system and not have to unlearn a previous system.
Alex Sarama
Sarama and the Cavaliers are still discussing when she will leave Cleveland to start full-time in Portland. The WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement expires on October 31, and it is not yet known how negotiations on the new agreement will affect the expansion draft and free agency. For now, she will remain in Cleveland, but hopes to start soon in Portland, which will begin its participation in May 2026.The good thing is that we can start from scratch. It’s difficult to unlearn what people know and open their minds to something different.
Vanja Černivec
