Portland Fire is making its comeback to the WNBA this year. After a long gap, the return of the franchise has made the fans incredibly excited. Ahead of their debut in 2026, the team is leaving no stone unturned. In a bid to add quality to the roster, the Fire has roped in Sylvia Fowles as its assistant coach.
Surely, there have been some concerning updates about the CBA. With the WNBA failing to meet the deadline twice, there have been rumors about a possible work stoppage. However, overlooking the downsides, Fire legend Jackie Stiles expressed her excitement about the coming season.
Jackie Stiles Elated With Portland Fire’s Coming Back
Stiles had an illustrious career with the Fire. Back in 2001, she was selected as the 4th overall pick by Portland. Immediately, she had a huge impact. Leading the team in terms of scoring, Stiles averaged 14.9 points per game and had an impressive 40.5% three-point shooting.
Unfortunately, following her injury-plagued 2002, where she missed 22 games, Stiles got the shock of her life. Fire was gone. Reflecting on her sombre past, the 47-year-old said on Wednesday, “It was just crushing when you know, I finished my second season and all of a sudden, I’m at home in the offseason and I get a phone call that the Portland Fire is no longer going to exist. And it was really difficult not having that closure.”
Jackie Stiles gets her closurehttps://t.co/nH5L8SXPRu
— Debmallya Chakraborty (@DebmallyaC93340) January 30, 2026
Thankfully, she has that closure now. “I feel like I’ve gotten that closure now when now we’re promoting this brand new team.”
Scroll to continue reading
Trending WNBA News
Surely, such a declaration coming from the legend is pretty heartwarming to hear. Meanwhile, as the returning franchise looks to dominate, here’s a look at their head coach, Alex Sarama.
Alex Sarama is All Set To Take Portland Fire To New Heights
Sarama was born in England, where he studied history at the University of Nottingham. However, his love and passion for basketball drove him towards a career as a basketball coach.
Sarama’s most notable accomplishment came when he served as the assistant coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Apart from that, Sarama also worked with some prestigious organizations such as the London Lions, Rip City Remix, NBA EMEA, and Paris Basketball.
Thus, with things looking pretty rosy and upbeat, fans will be eagerly waiting to see if Portland can bring back the lost nostalgia.