When Vanja Černivec sat down for her interview with the Portland Fire last year, she wasn't expecting much. A relative unknown in WNBA circles, she had quietly built an impressive resume far from the league's spotlight.
After retiring from professional play, Černivec spent six years in the NBA, focusing on talent recruitment. Her tenure with the Chicago Bulls from 2020 to 2022 made history—she became the first woman to scout internationally for the team. From there, she crossed the Atlantic to lead the London Lions in Super League Basketball, serving as general manager of the women's team and global director of the academy. Under her guidance, the Lions captured their first FIBA EuroCup Women's title and back-to-back Women's British Basketball League championships in 2023 and 2024. That success earned her a return to the WNBA as vice president of basketball operations for the Golden State Valkyries.
Despite feeling underestimated, Černivec landed the Fire's top front office role on August 25, 2005. Just two days into the job—still smiling despite losing her luggage en route to Portland—she revealed what drew her to the expansion franchise.
"The vision, the passion that the ownership group and everybody on the interview panel showed, and also their open-mindedness to do things differently. I think that's what attracted me the most," Černivec told USA TODAY Sports. "They trusted me with this role, and it's incredible."
Her vision for Portland is clear: build a foundation where curiosity and innovation thrive. Černivec promised her staff would feel trusted, valued, and empowered to contribute to a common goal. Restoring a WNBA franchise in Portland is no small task, but she appears undaunted. Her approach starts with finding people who can embrace one another through the challenges of entering the league—staff and players alike who share an insatiable curiosity and collective resilience.
For Černivec and her new head coach Alex Sarama, every decision begins with a single question. And in Portland, they're asking all the right ones.