Portland Fire appoints Vanja Cernivec as General Manager, following a victorious season with the Valkyries
Portland Fire Appoints Vanja Cernivec as First General Manager
The Portland Fire, a new WNBA franchise, has made a significant move by appointing Vanja Cernivec as their first General Manager. Cernivec, a native of Slovenia with extensive experience in the NBA and international basketball, brings a unique blend of basketball expertise and global perspective to the table.
Cernivec's impressive career began with the Chicago Bulls, where she broke barriers as the first female international scout from 2020 to 2022. She has since worked on the NBA Academy Women's Program and served as technical director for Basketball Without Borders camps, gaining six years of experience within the NBA.
In addition to her work with the NBA, Cernivec has held key positions in other basketball organisations. She served as Global Director of Academy for Super League Basketball, overseeing player development pathways, and as General Manager of the London Lions women's team, where she helped deliver the first FIBA EuroCup Women's title and back-to-back British league championships.
Currently, Cernivec serves as Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Golden State Valkyries, the WNBA's newest franchise. Under her leadership, the Valkyries have posted an impressive 19 wins in their debut season, the most ever by an expansion club. Cernivec's contributions to the Valkyries have been instrumental in their success, positioning them in the playoff picture with two weeks left in the regular season.
Portland Fire co-owner and governor Lisa Bhathal Merage is confident that Cernivec will help define the franchise. Merage stated, "Vanja's basketball expertise and global perspective will bring unique insights to Portland Fire's launch, and we are excited to have her lead our team."
The Portland Fire will play its first WNBA season in 2026 in the city of Portland. Cernivec will be tasked with laying the foundation for a competitive Portland Fire franchise from day one, scheduled to begin play in the 2026 WNBA season. Her vision is to build the most innovative and groundbreaking team in women's basketball.
With more than 13,000 season-ticket deposits since unveiling its name and brand identity, the Portland Fire has generated momentum. Fans are eager to see what Cernivec and the Portland Fire will bring to the WNBA in the coming years.
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