Sonia Raman is making history and switching coasts, leaving her assistant coaching role with the New York Liberty to become the new head coach of the Seattle Storm.
Raman, 51, agreed to a multi-year deal Wednesday with the Storm, according to multiple reports, and will be the first person of Indian origin to be a head coach in the WNBA.
Raman was previously the first Indian-American woman to be an NBA assistant coach, holding that role with the Memphis Grizzlies (2020-24) before joining the Liberty’s staff last season.
“Sonia is a trailblazer, an innovator and a leader in basketball analytics and strategy,” Storm general manager Talisa Rhea said. “Her diverse coaching experiences and deep focus on player development and connection make her an exceptional coach to lead our team into the next era. We look forward to her leadership as we pursue another WNBA championship.”
Raman replaces Noelle Quinn, who was fired after the Storm lost in the first round of the playoffs to the eventual champion Las Vegas Aces. Quinn posted a 97-89 record with four playoff appearances in five seasons with Seattle.
A native of Framingham, Mass., Raman led the MIT women’s basketball program from 2008-20, becoming the team’s all-time winningest coach with 152 wins.
Raman’s wife, Milena Flores, is a former Stanford and WNBA player originally from the Seattle area.
“Seattle holds a special place in my heart, and my family and I are thrilled to return to this incredible city,” said Raman. “I’m deeply grateful to Storm ownership, Alisha Valavanis, Talisa Rhea and the entire organization for their trust and belief in me. I look forward to building on the proud legacy of this franchise and competing at the highest level for our fans.”
Raman told ESPN the Storm job was attractive for many reasons.
“The list goes on and on, I think, in terms of the organization,” Raman said. “And then Seattle itself as a city. It’s a premier women’s basketball city. Really rich tradition, deep support from the fan base. And I actually have really personal ties as well. My wife is from the area, so it’s kind of a homecoming for us as well.”
Raman will be heading a team whose biggest stars will be unrestricted free agents, just as a new collective bargaining agreement is set to increase WNBA player salaries. Storm All-Stars Brittney Sykes, Gabby Williams, Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins will be unrestricted free agents.
All-Rookie center Dominique Malonga is under contract. However, Malonga recently terminated her three-year contract with Turkish club Fenerbahce Opet, which is pursuing legal action that could prevent the 19-year-old from receiving a required “letter of clearance” from FIBA to return to the WNBA.
