The First Indian-American Woman to Coach in the NBA Makes Historic Move to Lead Seattle Storm in the WNBA
Sonia Raman is set to make WNBA history. The longtime assistant coach of the Memphis Grizzlies has agreed to become the next head coach of the Seattle Storm, according to a source familiar with the deal who spoke to the Associated Press. Raman will be the first person of Indian descent to ever hold a head coaching position in the league.
The move comes after Seattle dismissed Noelle Quinn following the team’s first-round playoff exit to the Las Vegas Aces. ESPN was the first to report Raman’s hiring.
Raman spent the past season with the New York Liberty and four prior years as an assistant coach for the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies, where she earned praise for her player development and analytical approach.
Before entering the professional ranks, she spent 12 seasons as the head coach at MIT, where she remains the winningest coach in program history and led the Engineers to two NCAA Division III tournament appearances.
Raman takes over a franchise at a crossroads. The Storm are bracing for a turbulent offseason with All-Stars Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins, Gabby Williams, and Brittney Sykes all heading into unrestricted free agency. A new WNBA collective bargaining agreement, expected to significantly raise salaries, could reshape the league’s competitive balance.
Still, Raman inherits a promising young core led by rising star Dominique Malonga, last year’s No. 2 overall draft pick. With her reputation for developing talent and her groundbreaking achievement, Raman’s arrival marks both a new chapter for the Seattle Storm and a milestone moment for representation in professional basketball.
