The WNBA season is now in its offseason. However, despite the next season being quite some time away at the moment, the action does not stop. With two new teams coming up, the franchises are looking locked in to get their squads set for 2026.
Already, the Tempo has been found busy trying to rope in quality names. In a recent announcement, Toronto appointed Sandy Brondello as their new head coach. Now, with the Tempo nudging ahead, it was only a matter of time before the Fire would catch up.
Well, sure enough, in a recent announcement, Portland revealed its latest assistant head coach to be none other than Sylvia Fowles.
Sylvia Fowles Makes Move to Take Charge Of Portland Fire
The Fire have already appointed Alex Sarama as their head coach. And looking at how the Golden State Valkyries unlocked the playoff code in their debut season, both the new teams would be interested. However, to enable the players to perform well, the team would need a quality coaching staff.
And who better to guide the Portland hoopers than the Hall of Famer Fowles? According to reports from ESPN, Fowles will join in as Sarama’a assistant in 2026. With her vast knowledge of basketball, Sarama and Fowles will be expected to share their expertise with the team.
Further details revealed that Fowles got numerous coaching offers from other franchises, too. However, she found the idea of joining an expansion team and building it from scratch interesting.
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As per reports from USA Today, she hoped “to build a culture with players she currently does not have ties to.”
Sylvia Fowles will make her WNBA coaching debut as an assistant with the Portland Fire for its inaugural season, sources told @kendra__andrews.
— espnW (@espnW) December 17, 2025
She had multiple coaching opportunities around the WNBA ahead of the 2026 season, but felt that Portland was the best fit for her, the… pic.twitter.com/zpeRBPxQcQ
Thus, with Fowles and Sarama at the helm, the Portland fans have every reason to get excited about the next season. Meanwhile, the Fire have been doing some quite interesting things of late. Portland recently roped in Ashley Battle as the vice-president.
Ashley Battle Comes In As Portland Fire Vice-President
Despite all the dark clouds looming over the CBA deal, the WNBA has made some exciting progress. This year, the league recorded the best attendance in two decades. As the tournament unfolds in 2026, they can expect more good news. That’s because new teams like Portland Fire are leaving no stone unturned in making their franchise a unique one. In a recent update, they confirmed former WNBA icon Ashley Battle as their vice-president.
“It’s exciting to be part of a franchise that’s reimagining what player development and team culture can look like. Having been in the players’ shoes, I know how powerful it is when an organization invests in every aspect of an athlete’s growth. The Fire is building something special, and I’m proud to now be contributing to that vision,” Battle said.
“I’m looking forward in coming back into the W and to an organization that prioritizes innovation and the growth of women’s sports,” @The_Battle_Zone told @Ballislife.
— Aya Abdeen (@ayabdeen) October 14, 2025
Ashley Battle joins @theportlandfire as VP of Basketball Operations. #WNBA
Read my latest right here 👇… pic.twitter.com/ywwe4FruUI
Thus, with things looking rosy for Portland, fans will now wait to see how their upcoming season unfolds.