A report has been published claiming to know who the first and future General Manager of the returning Portland Fire franchise is going to be, and the author’s Portland Fire intel has been rock solid. Below is what I have learned in the 30 minutes since the report dropped.
Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report, who has been my primary newsbreaker for all things connected to the WNBA’s 2026 expansion team in Portland, reports that the Fire are expected to hire Vanja Černivec as the team’s first general manager.
In his post, Highkin explains Černivec’s background and the Fire’s future, which still remains mostly a mystery amid the WNBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement discussions.Here is a truncated list of the experience Černivec has in the world of basketball, from most distant to most recent:
Six years in the NBA’s European and Middle Eastern development office (2015 - 2020)
Two years as an international scout with the Chicago Bulls (2020 - 2022)
Two years as General Manager of the London Lions women’s basketball team (2022 - 2024)
One year as Vice-President of the Golden State Valkyries (2025)
Černivec, born in Slovenia, was a basketball player herself, and has now spent over a decade in the highest levels of the sport. She was the first woman to hold a scouting position in the NBA, the London Lions team she was the GM for won the Women’s British Basketball League championship two years in a row, and the Golden State Valkyries have had one of the most successful first seasons for any expansion team in any sport as they head towards a playoff spot in their first season.
Where Černivec goes, there seems to be success. Except, of course, for the long-time awfully-managed Chicago Bulls (I’m from Illinois, I know the long-standing pain of Bulls fans).
“To build the Valkyries with Vanja is an incredible opportunity and dream realized,” said Valkyries General Manager Ohemaa Nyanin. “Her basketball knowledge is vast, and more importantly, she is an incredible person. Our team is inherently stronger with her diverse experiences helping to lead our front office and team. As a native of Slovenia joining our team, I’d say: Dobrodošla doma (welcome home) Vanja!”.
Personally, I am excited for this decision. It checks both boxes of someone with experience in the WNBA (though limited), but also someone getting their first chance at the biggest role (a role Černivec has had in a smaller league). It presumes a strength and a focus on the international game and international players, which have been taking over the spotlight of both the MNBA and the WNBA for years now; the Valkyries have been exhibit A for the idea that a big focus on international players can be a successful one. After one expansion team has taken that route, the Fire also now gain a GM that has deep knowledge, and can dig farther into international rosters, which other domestic managers might not be able to do. Černivec has coach development experience, player development experience, playing experience, management experience, and seemingly whatever other experience a Portland fan might be looking for.
“For a long time, I have argued that the most privileged is the individual who finds his passion and mission in life. I may be distinguished by the fact that I found my passion at a very young age. I’ve been literally obsessed with basketball since I was twelve years old, but at the time I didn’t dare to dream that I would ever make a living with basketball.” Vanja Černivec, from an interview with onave.si
This feels like a win, the first big win that Fire fans can lean on. At least, the first after the initial presidential hire was reversed after just three months.
This is the most important next step. The next thing coming down the pipeline that we know for certain is the October 31st deadline for the WNBA and the WNBPA (the Player’s Association) to come to a Collective Bargaining agreement. If they do not, there will be a work stoppage of some sort in the 2026 season, which could throw Portland’s expansion schedule out of whack. I don’t know that anyone knows what that schedule is planned to be, or what it could be like if an agreement is not made. If anyone does know, and posts about it publicly, I’ll be sure to let you know.
Before leaving, I’ll share the most fun little bit I found when researching the new hire: they have a couple of music videos favorite’d on YouTube. And reader? They’re good.