Copyright The Oregonian
While they made sure to not give away too much information about what was in store for the city’s new WNBA franchise, the Portland Fire formally introduced new head coach Alex Sarama on Tuesday morning. Accompanied by General Manager Vanja Černivec, Sarama addressed the city and took questions from the media at the Multnomah Athletic Club in southwest Portland. “I want to start by saying what an honor to be the first head coach in this new era of Portland Fire history,” Sarama said. “And before I start by thanking everyone who made this possible, I want to express just how excited I am to be here. From the first conversations I had with Vanja, it was apparent just how incredible this opportunity is. And that’s because I truly believe we will be creating something unique, not just within the context of the WNBA, but the professional sports landscape as a whole.” Sarama, a 30-year-old who is in his first head coaching job at the professional level, said he had lofty goals for the Portland Fire. This includes working towards a WNBA Championship and creating a workplace culture that is both fun and collaborative. “I want this to be one of the best places to work in professional sports,” Sarama said. “So this environment of joy is very important.” Sarama also reiterated his “evidence-based” approach to the game of basketball. Over the past few years, Sarama has become known for his approach to player development in basketball circles. It’s something that got him into working with the NBA internationally, and also got him jobs with Paris Basketball, the London Lions, the Rip City Remix and also as an assistant coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers. “I first discovered a completely different way of coaching eight years ago and I remember being blown away because in one week I changed my complete perception of the game and how I coach and this approach, the constraints-led approach (CLA),” Sarama said. ”It’s so exciting because not only are we going to be applying this on the court, but in every single department. So Vanja alluded to that in the weight room. How we incorporate analytics, how we use film in the theater and the ability to have everyone on the exact same page is so exciting.” He indicated that he wants the Fire to be at the forefront of where basketball is moving as a sport and not confined to what is working right now. “I want to prepare the team for where basketball is going and the future of how I think the game is going to be played,” he said. “And that means incorporating trends which are emerging in global basketball, whether it’s the men’s and women’s EuroLeague, B1 in Japan, NBL in Australia, or the WNBA and the NBA. I want to really embrace all these unique ideas and create a style of play that is unique to the Fire.” Sarama and Černivec both talked about how the new approach could have the team looking different than other franchises in the WNBA. Černivec said the team will be incorporating analytics into every aspect of operations. Staff members may have new roles that other WNBA teams don’t. While they didn’t want to give specifics on that plan, Sarama said an example could be a strength coach who doesn’t only work in the weight room or run the team through warm ups and then disappears for the rest of practice. The Fire is looking for people who can be involved in multiple areas at once. “I can say that the lines will be blurred,” he said. Sarama and Černivec will be able to construct the staff in the coming months, but what the team will truly look like includes many question marks. The WNBA is in a bit of limbo until the league and the player’s association come to a new collective bargaining agreement. The current CBA is set to expire on Friday. Until the CBA is set, the WNBA can’t set dates for the expansion draft and the free agency period — all things the Portland Fire are going to need to construct a team. But in the meantime, team leadership has an idea for what type of players they are eyeing. “Definitely good human beings, good teammates,” Černivec said. “Any organization I touch, that’s always a part of my recruitment on the coaching staff and on the players. And then we’re going to look for versatile players that could move between the positions. Very high basketball IQ. Probably players that will able to shoot, stretch the floor and just like hardworking players that will want to be coached hard, want to get better.” Sarama remains committed to player development, saying that he will be looking for players who will be able to make the most of the team’s environment and will remain open-minded to his approach to basketball. “We want to create the best player development environment in the W,” he said.
