Alex Salama’s Rise as Coach of the Month

When the Portland Fire named Alex Salama as their first head coach, he wasn’t exactly a household name. Fast forward to Wednesday, and the WNBA announced Salama as Coach of the Month, which really wasn’t a shocker. He guided the Fire to a respectable 6-4 record in May, pulling off some unexpected victories and starting to carve out a reputation in the wider basketball community.

At just 30, Salama’s journey includes time as an assistant coach with the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he eventually took on the role of director of player development. In 2020, he made his way to NBA Europe, and by 2022, he was a basketball player development specialist in Paris. Most recently, in 2023, he served as methodology director for the London Lions within the English Basketball League. During the last season, he also worked as an assistant coach for the Rip City Remix, the Portland Trail Blazers’ G League affiliate, before returning to assist the Cavaliers in 2024.

What makes Salama stand out is his advocacy for the Constraints-Led Approach (CLA) in skill acquisition and training. This method prioritizes decision-making, adaptability, and a game-like practice environment over traditional repetitive drills.

Interestingly, he canceled morning shootarounds, had players practice in just socks, and created drills with specific limitations to mimic high-pressure scenarios. It’s a bit unconventional, but perhaps those methods worked well.

Even though the Fire were one of two new teams in the WNBA, they wrapped up with a commendable eighth place in the league, finishing with a 6-5 record overall. In May alone, they claimed six victories, two of which were against the New York Liberty, and even pulled off a win against the well-regarded Indiana Fever.

On the court, Portland shines with Carla Leite leading the way with averages of 15.2 points and 5.2 assists per game. Meanwhile, Bridget Carleton, the top pick from the WNBA’s expansion draft, contributes 14.7 points, with 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 steals. Not to forget Emily Englester, who tops the league in blocks at 2.3 per game, and offers 9.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 1.3 assists. Sarah Ashley Barker has also made her mark off the bench, averaging 10 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.

In a video shared by the Fire, Salama expressed his appreciation for the players and staff in receiving his first Coach of the Month award.

“This would not be possible without great players. This is really all thanks to you all, number one,” he stated. “Everything we’ve asked of you, you’ve done thousands of times. I couldn’t be more proud to coach you. This is going to be so much fun.”

He added, perhaps somewhat humbly, “Secondly, it’s the staff of the month. It’s not the coach of the month. It’s everyone—the front office, the performance staff, the coaching team. It’s all of us here.”