The Portland Fire have hired Alex Sarama as the franchise’s first head coach, the team announced on Friday.
“Alex represents the next generation of coaching,” said Fire General Manager Vanja Černivec. “He’s not just teaching the game, he’s transforming it. His approach to player development, grounded in evidence-based science, research and creativity, aligns with our vision to make Portland a global hub for innovation in women’s sports.”
The official announcement comes days after the Fire prematurely posted Saram’s hiring on their LinkedIn account.
Advertisement
That post was quickly deleted.
[Yahoo Sports TV is here! Watch live shows and highlights 24/7]
The Fire are one of two expansion franchises set to enter the league next season, along with the Toronto Tempo. The Fire hired Černivec as GM earlier this month after she spent a year working in the Golden State Valkyries’ front office. Černivec and Sarama worked together briefly at the London Lions in the British Basketball League, too.
Most recently, Sarama was hired as an assistant coach with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He also spent time in Portland as an assistant coach and director of player development for the Trail Blazers’ G League franchise.
Specifics of Sarama’s deal are not known. By comparison, both Nate Tibbetts of the Phoenix Mercury and Becky Hammon of the Las Vegas Aces each earn over $1 million per year in their respective roles. They are the only two coaches in the league known to be making at least seven figures.
Advertisement
The Fire and Tempo are just the latest teams to join the WNBA amid its recent expansion push. The Valkyries just completed their first season, and Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia will all join by 2030. The Tempo have yet to hire a head coach, though they named Monica Wright Rogers their general manager in February.