After a few good seasons, the WNBA is on the rise, and if anyone’s excited more than the rest, then it is the expansion teams. This year, Portland Fire is one of the new additions, so anything that links them generates curiosity. Such times call for calm nerves, but someone handling the social media accounts ruined that moment. The Fire’s LinkedIn page leaked the name of the HC, spoiling the planned events. Lesson learned: always stay on your toes, or else the GM’s big stage moments can slip with such easy blunders.

Here’s what happened: Even before the team had a chance to make an official statement, their LinkedIn page spoiled the surprise by announcing Alex Sarama as their new head coach, only to delete the post quickly. Although there was no confirmation yet, a lot of reports did hint at Alex’s appointment. But now, the Portland Fire have come clean and have officially released a statement confirming Alex Sarama as the franchise’s first-ever head coach. But why did the Fire choose Alex?

Well, this will be Alex Sarama’s first head coaching gig in a professional capacity. Before being appointed as the Portland Fire’s head coach, Sarama was working as an assistant coach with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He brings with him a refreshing constraints-led approach to basketball. Yes, that’s interesting because it follows 3 pillars to build its foundation.

In this approach, emphasis is put on training the players via a specially designed methodology that focuses on training players under three different constraints: performance, environmental, and task. These drills encourage a trial-and-error method that aids players in developing motor skills learning. So if the Portland Fire is handling him the responsibility, there’s a soft signalling to his approach. Welcoming the new head coach, Portland Fire’s general manager said, “Alex represents the next generation of coaching.”

The GM further added, “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.” With the team one step closer to finalizing their plans for their debut season, excitement is certainly on the rise among the fans. Sure, there is still a long way to go and a lot more decisions to be made, but having a head coach gives the team an identity.

Aside from coaching, Alex Sarama is also the founder of Transforming Basketball, which is a global platform that focuses on educating coaches and facilitating players’ learning. With the hiring of such a revolutionary coach, the Portland Fire has made it clear that they plan to follow the footsteps of the Golden State Valkyries and start competing from year 1. Whether they will have a roster good enough to do that remains to be seen.

What challenges can the Portland Fire face in building a good roster?

When a team comes into an offseason with a completely free salary cap, one would assume that they would hold all the aces when it comes to signing free agents. However, this year, things are very different. The biggest challenge that the Portland Fire faces is the ongoing CBA negotiations.

Even before the season started, the ticking clock was set on a new CBA, but till now, there has been no positive outcome for the same. Until a deal has been signed, there can be no expansion draft. This has added another layer of uncertainty for both the expansion teams, the Portland Fire and the Toronto Tempo. Another repercussion of this new CBA is the risk of overpaying and signing bad contracts.

Whenever the new CBA is signed, there is certainly going to be a big increase in the salary cap. And as history has witnessed, whenever there is a massive increase in a team’s spending capacity, there are bound to be some contracts that are going to be massive overpays. Whether it be a role player getting overpaid, or a star at the end of fag-end of their career getting a big final payday, something would happen. The Portland Fire need to navigate that and ensure that they make signings that fit their scheme.

Sure, having big-name players is important, especially for a new team, but if the results don’t match the hype, fans will not be afraid to make their feelings known. Exciting times ahead, and it is filled with challenges. Who do you think will feature in the Fire roster?