Fire hires Alex Sarama, Cavs assistant, as head coach in the WNBA

Alex Sarama Will Lead the New WNBA Team in Portland

The Portland Fire have announced Alex Sarama, assistant coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, as the inaugural head coach of their expansion franchise in the WNBA. The news was confirmed by the team and Sarama himself. Sarama is recognized as an expert in an innovative training system that has gained popularity in European basketball, soccer, and, increasingly, in the NBA. This approach has been adopted by players like Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs and coaches like Kenny Atkinson, of the Cavaliers.

Having the opportunity to implement the principles of CLA (Constraints-Led Approach) with an expansion team is ideal. We will be able to hire people who fit the new system and not have to unlearn a previous system.

Alex Sarama

Sarama explained that this approach allows her to influence each department and establish a unified strategy. The team seeks to emulate the success of the Golden State Valkyries in their first year in the WNBA. Vanja Černivec, general manager of the Fire, coming from the Valkyries, where she served as vice president of basketball operations, has a deep knowledge of the European market. Černivec met Sarama years ago at the NBA office in Madrid, being impressed by her intellect and passion for coaching.

For me, he was a genius. He produced documents and work that took me two hours, he did them in five or ten minutes.

Vanja Černivec

In addition to his academy, Sarama has had successful coaching experiences with the London Lions, Paris Basketball, and RipCity Remix. His recognition grew after the publication of his book “Transforming Basketball” in 2024. The CLA methodology focuses on adaptability, improvisation, and decision-making, rather than predetermined movement patterns and exercises. Sarama rarely repeats the same exercise, using games with restrictions to challenge the players.

Players love it, because it’s a nice change from what they’ve always done in their NBA careers. It’s much more appealing, and when you never know what you might do in a workout instead of doing the same six NBA drills, which all teams do in every shooting session and in every workout. Just arriving and knowing that there’s going to be something more creative. I think that really resonates.

Alex Sarama

Hiring NBA coaches is becoming increasingly common in the WNBA. The Fire hopes to replicate the success of the Phoenix Mercury and the Golden State Valkyries, who have had success with coaches from the NBA. Sarama and the Cavaliers are discussing when she will leave Cleveland to join the Fire in Portland full-time. Sarama’s start date in Portland could be affected by negotiations over the new WNBA collective bargaining agreement.