Valkyries Bracing to Lose Front Office Member to WNBA Expansion Team

The Portland Fire will debut in the WNBA in 2026.

A WNBA game ball before the game between the Golden State Valkyries and Connecticut Sun at Chase Center. / Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

Women's basketball is growing faster than ever and the WNBA is working hard to catch up and capitalize. The full culmination of their efforts the future plan to expand the league to 18 teams by 2030 with the addition of five more franchise.

It's an ambitious plan to be certain, but with the smash success of the Golden State Valkyries in their 2025 debut season, a new standard has been set for the success of expansion teams, likely boosting the league's confidence in the plan.

The next two franchises slated to join the WNBA are teams based in Toronto, Canada and Portland, Oregon, both slated to debut in the 2026 season.

While this new wave of teams broadens the talent pool of players coming into the WNBA, it also increases the demand for staff at all levels of the game, including coaching and the front office. Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase, for example, got her shot at the head coach position for the first time in her career by jumping aboard the brand new team, leaving the Las Vegas Aces after serving as an assistant coach for three seasons.

Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase during the game against the Atlanta Dream during the first quarter at Gateway Center Arena at College Park. / Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

The incoming Oregon franchise, the Portland Fire, are expected to draw at least one member of their front officer staff from elsewhere as well. Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report has reported that the Fire are expected to name current Valkyries vice president of basketball operations Vanja Černivec as the team's first ever general manager, a crucial role that will play a major part in how the Portland roster shapes up for their own debut season.

Černivec boast an impressive basketball resumé. In addition to her season with the Valkyries that has by all accounts been a great success, she also has front office experience with the London Lions of the British Basketball League and served as an international scout for the Chicago Bulls from 2020-22.

Some news: The Portland Fire are expected to name Golden State Valkyries VP of basketball operations Vanja Černivec their first-ever general manager in the coming days, according to multiple sources.

Story: https://t.co/uAqcq2wjzg

— Sean Highkin (@highkin) August 23, 2025

“Her basketball knowledge is vast, and more importantly, she is an incredible person," Valkyries general manager Ohemaa Nyanin said of Černivec when it was announced that she was joining Golden State before the start of the 2025 season.

Černivec's appointment not officially confirmed, only speculative at this point per reports, but if the Slovenian basketball operator were to get the position she would be able to test her mettle as the head decision maker of a WNBA team after a year of serving under Nyanin.