The Portland Fire have finally hired someone to lead their basketball operations department.

The nascent WNBA franchise on Monday named Vanja Černivec as its first general manager, tabbing an existing league executive with experience in building an expansion roster to guide one of its most important leadership roles.

Černivec, 43, joins the Fire from the Golden State Valkyries, where she has served as vice president of basketball operations under general manager Ohemaa Nyanin since July 2024.

“I am honored to join the Fire with a vision to build the most innovative and groundbreaking team in women’s basketball,” Černivec said in a release. “Portland is a city with a deep passion for the game, and I want this team to reflect that energy in this new era – rooted in legacy, fueled by passion, and driven by a relentless pursuit of excellence.”

Černivec will oversee all basketball operations for the expansion franchise, which will include hiring a coach, building a front office staff, constructing a roster and laying the foundation for the future of Portland’s newest professional organization.

That she has been through this before was no doubt one of her biggest selling points. The Valkyries are nearing the end of a widely successful debut season in the WNBA — with seven games remaining in the regular season, they boast a 19-18 record and sit in seventh place in the standings, firmly in the hunt for a playoff spot.

Černivec, who has been Nyanin’s top assistant, played a key role in building the playoff-caliber roster from scratch. She participated in the hiring of Golden State’s coaching and operational staff and helped conduct Golden State’s expansion draft and 2025 WNBA draft.

Černivec, who is from Slovenia, will begin her tenure with the Fire on September 15, 2025.

“Vanja is a visionary, and we are confident she will help define what this franchise can be,” Lisa Bhathal Merage, Portland Fire co-owner and governor, said in a release. “As a foundational leader in this new chapter for the Fire, she brings the experience, integrity, and passion for advancing the women’s game that this moment demands.”

Before joining Golden State, Černivec, who has more than 12 years of professional basketball operations experience, spent two seasons as GM of the London Lions of Super League Basketball (SLB), helping the team win back-to-back Women’s British Basketball League Championships and its first FIBA EuroCup Women’s title.

She also spent six years working internationally with the NBA, which included a two-year stint as the Chicago Bulls’ first female international scout.

Her experience with international basketball has paid dividends in Golden State — seven of the 11 players it selected in last year’s expansion draft hailed from foreign countries and six players on the current roster are from countries outside the United States.

Černivec’s arrival comes at a pivotal moment for the Fire, who have endured an up-and-down beginning and sit roughly nine months away from the first game of their inaugural season.

The franchise waited seven months to hire its first president — Inky Son — then let her go after less than three months on the job. Son was replaced by retired Nike executive Clare Hamill, who has been serving as interim president.

But amid the front office drama, the franchise also has taken some impressive steps forward. It has already secured more than 13,000 season-ticket deposits, and in April, broke ground on a new practice facility in Hillsboro, where it will share space with the Portland Thorns.

The Fire are one of two expansion franchises — along with the Toronto Tempo — joining the WNBA in 2026.

— Joe Freeman is a senior writer at The Oregonian/OregonLive covering the Trail Blazers and NBA. Reach him at 503-294-5183, jfreeman@oregonian.com, @BlazerFreeman or @freemanjoe.bsky.social. Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com.

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