Report: Portland Fire set to name Alex Sarama first coach

The Portland Fire are expected to name Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach Alex Sarama as the first head coach of the WNBA expansion franchise, Front Office Sports reported.

News of Sarama's hiring was put on the club's LinkedIn page early Tuesday before it was removed. Still, per the report, Sarama was confirmed to be the choice of the Fire, with a contract yet to be finalized.

Sarama was hired in 2024 as the director of player development for the Cavaliers and was named an assistant coach for the 2025-26 season. A native of England, he has experience in the Pacific Northwest as an assistant coach and director of player development for the Portland Trail Blazers' G League affiliate, the Rip City Remix.

The Fire will begin play with the 2026 season.

Once contract negotiations are finalized, Sarama would become the latest NBA assistant coach to become a WNBA head coach. Among those who have made the move are Nate Tibbetts, who led the Phoenix Mercury to the WNBA Finals this season.