As a kid, I spent my school breaks sitting courtside, mesmerized. 

I can still picture the red and black seats, the sound of sneakers squeaking on hardwood and me clutching a Sharpie, waiting for players to sign my posters after the buzzer sounded. Behind the ruckus was a steady presence: my aunt, Caitlin, the associate head coach of UNLV women’s basketball. 

My childhood bedroom became a shrine filled with team Christmas cards, signed photos and letters from players. To me, seeing a women’s team led by an all-female coaching staff just made sense. 

The sight of women commanding the huddle, running practices and leading with authority showed me the game could belong to us.

That’s why the WNBA’s latest hiring trend feels so disappointing. The Portland Fire, one of two expansion teams set to begin play in 2026, recently announced its inaugural head coach: Alex Sarama. 

Sarama is 30 years old with limited experience in the women’s game. His hiring sparked backlash online — and understandably so. In a league that was built to elevate women, it marks yet another instance where a man was chosen to lead a team of elite female athletes.

This isn’t an anomaly — it’s part of a growing pattern that’s hard to ignore. Over the past 13 months, a wave of franchises have turned to male head coaches: the Phoenix Mercury, Chicago Sky, Atlanta Dream, Connecticut Sun, Washington Mystics and Dallas Wings all hired men to lead their teams.

As of now, with 15 total teams, the league is split almost in half: six male head coaches and six female, with the New York Liberty’s spot still vacant. I’m not saying there shouldn’t be any male coaches, but the hiring trend hasn’t been equitable. 

And it’s not because there’s a shortage of qualified women. The WNBA is full of former players and longtime assistants who know the league from the inside out, including its pace, culture and expectations. It’s full of women who advocate for the other women the league is built on. Yet those candidates continue to be passed over while teams look elsewhere.

And the list of ready candidates isn’t elusive. Former All-Star Kristi Toliver has coached in both the WNBA and NBA while playing at the highest level. Tanisha Wright led Atlanta to playoff appearances and earned Coach of the Year in 2022. Rebekkah Brunson has helped build Minnesota’s championship culture alongside Cheryl Reeve for years. Teresa Weatherspoon, Briann January and Vickie Johnson have proven they can command a locker room and elevate talent. 

These are women with experience, credibility and championship DNA who have earned the chance to lead. The WNBA is bursting at the seams with female coaching prowess — if it wants to. 

Right here in the Bay Area, we’ve already seen what happens when qualified female leaders do get those opportunities. Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase just led the WNBA’s newest franchise to a historic first season and earned WNBA Coach of the Year. 

Rising from a video intern for the Los Angeles Clippers to a championship-winning head coach, she’s proof that women don’t just belong in the huddle, they thrive when they’re finally given the clipboard.

With the league expanding rapidly — Toronto and Portland to be added 2026, Cleveland in 2028, Detroit in 2029 and Philadelphia in 2030 — the WNBA stands at a crossroads. The next few hires will ultimately signal whether the league is truly committed to equity or simply paying lip service to it.

When I think back to that little girl sitting in the UNLV stands, I remember how natural it felt to see women leading women. That shouldn’t be rare — it should be the standard.