New York Liberty assistant Sonia Raman has agreed to a multiyear deal to grow to be the brand new head coach of the Seattle Storm, sources advised ESPN’s Shams Charania on Friday.
Raman makes WNBA historical past as the primary individual of Indian descent to be head coach after being the primary Indian American lady to be an NBA assistant.
Raman spent 2020-24 as an assistant with the Memphis Grizzlies and final season with the Liberty.
Andy Latack and Steve Neff of Klutch Sports activities negotiated the brand new take care of the Storm.
Seattle fired head coach Noelle Quinn on Sept. 21, three days after shedding to the eventual champion Las Vegas Aces within the opening spherical of the WNBA playoffs. The Storm went 97-89 throughout Quinn’s 5 seasons as head coach after she changed Dan Hughes, who retired halfway via the 2021 marketing campaign.
This was Seattle’s first full teaching search since hiring Hughes in October 2017. The Storm went on to win championships in 2018 and 2020, the latter with Gary Kloppenburg serving as head coach as a result of Hughes was not medically cleared to take part within the WNBA’s bubble season at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
“I believe we’re searching for a pacesetter, somebody who can handle a gaggle and actually set up a brand new identification,” Seattle normal supervisor Talisa Rhea advised ESPN final month. “There’s numerous uncertainty, and we’re getting into a brand new chapter, simply sort of leaguewide, so excited for somebody to actually be capable to put their mark on a staff and construct confidence, construct staff chemistry and construct an identification on the courtroom that may in the end lead us to making an attempt to compete for years to return.”
Storm All-Stars Skylar Diggins, Nneka Ogwumike, Brittney Sykes and Gabby Williams are all set to be unrestricted free brokers this offseason, like almost each veteran WNBA participant — with a brand new collective bargaining settlement set to extend salaries.
Nonetheless, Seattle has middle Dominique Malonga, the No. 2 choose of the 2025 draft, underneath contract after she earned All-Rookie staff honors because the league’s youngest participant. Raman’s hiring leaves her former staff, the Liberty, because the lone WNBA staff trying to find a head coach.