Adelaide Lightning name Aja Parham-Ammar interim coach, their fourth WNBL coach in less than a year
The Adelaide Lightning have appointed their fourth head coach in less than 12 months.
Players were told this morning Boston College alumni Aja Parham-Ammar will be the interim head coach while the Lightning searched for their next permanent coach.
She was named the 2023 Female Coach of the Year in Queensland and is the head coach of the Logan Thunder, appointed for two years in November 2024.
I can reveal the Adelaide Lightning have appointed former Boston College standout Aja Parham-Ammar as interim head coach. Players informed this morning before travelling to Bendigo. She will effectively have the remainder of the season to audition for the role permanently. @WNBL
— Will Crouch (@WillCrouch9) November 28, 2025
Parnham-Ammar declares on her LinkedIn Profile: “As a professional basketball player in the WNBA/FIBA (Europe), I have been able to experience firsthand the greatness of sport. It has taught me valuable lessons about success. My love for sport, combined with 10 years experience as a sports performance/fitness trainer, developed a clear passion: Create an environment where athletes of all ages, sports, and performance levels have a place to sharpen their athletic acumen and foster a healthy existence. For me that healthy existence equals a healthy body, healthy mind, and healthy spirit.”
She is now the fourth head coach for the reborn South Australian club in less than 12 months.
In December, Adelaide and then head coach Nat Hurst “mutually agreed to part ways, Scott Ninnis was appointed a week later and coached them for the remainder of WNBL25 but wasn’t talked to as the club’s fate was being decided after the new league owners took over.
The SA Government and the WNBL saved the club via joint-ownership and appointed Kerryn Mitchell in late May. She lasted just seven games before, she too “parted ways”.
Adelaide Lightning CEO Melanie MacGillivray said on Thursday: “It’s been a tough 24 hours
“No one’s denying that. What I will say is the matter that has been undertaken was done with sincere consideration and supported by our leadership team, which includes our board and owners. We remain committed to driving a culture of high performance, respect and integrity.
“That underpins everything we do. I just want to reassure you and our supporters that our leadership — including the board and ownership — is united in providing the best environment for our players, club staff and supporters.”
Logan Thunder glowed in the announcement of Parham-Ammar in November 2024
“Aja brings a wealth of experience to the role, having coached both men’s and women’s programs at the NBL1 North level,” the release said.
“In 2023, she was recognised as Basketball Queensland’s Female Coach of the Year, a testament to her exceptional leadership, player development skills, and commitment to fostering a positive team culture. Aja’s deep passion for the game and her ability to inspire players make her the perfect fit to lead the Thunder Women into the upcoming seasons.”
Parham-Ammar revealed it was NBL champion CJ Bruton who kick started her coaching career after more than a decade in sports and player development.
“Coaching didn’t come into my mind until post-career when CJ Bruton told me, ‘You’re going to be my assistant’,” she said in December 2023.
“It was a matter of learning how to communicate with athletes, because they all are there to win, they want to win. Most players that you recruit play on a serious level, and contracted players are there for the right reasons.
“It’s a matter of them buying in and communicating, and CJ (Bruton) is really good at that, he’s great at personal relationships with his players.”