The Seattle Storm officially announced the hiring of Sonia Raman as their new Head Coach, succeeding Noelle Quinn. This appointment is a major milestone, not just for the franchise, but for diversity in professional basketball globally.
- Trailblazing Role: Raman becomes the first person of Indian origin to serve as a Head Coach in the WNBA.
- Previous Milestone: She previously made history as the first Indian-American woman to be hired as an Assistant Coach in the NBA (with the Memphis Grizzlies).
- The Team: She takes the reins of the Seattle Storm, a four-time WNBA champion franchise, looking to build upon their legacy with a young core, including top prospect Dominique Malonga.
- Personal Connection: Raman has a personal tie to the region, as her wife, former WNBA player Milena Flores, grew up near Seattle.
Sonia Raman’s path to the WNBA’s head coaching role is noteworthy for its diversity of experience, which included a departure from a legal career:
- Early Life & Education: Born in Framingham, Massachusetts, to Indian immigrant parents, Raman played college basketball as a walk-on at Tufts University.
- Law School & Career Shift: She earned a Juris Doctor from Boston College Law School and initially worked in the legal field, including a stint at the U.S. Department of Labor.
- Collegiate Dominance: She transitioned to coaching and became the winningest coach in the history of the MIT Engineers women’s basketball program (2008-2020), leading them to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances and earning multiple Coach of the Year awards.
- Pro Ranks: Her success at MIT paved the way for her to join the Memphis Grizzlies (NBA) as an assistant coach (2020-2024), focusing on player development and analytics. She then served as an assistant with the New York Liberty last season before taking the Seattle job.
