By James Tabafunda
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Seattle Storm Head Coach Sonia Raman (Photo by James Tabafunda)
The Seattle Storm are turning the page to a new chapter, introducing Sonia Raman on Nov. 5 as its head coach at the BECU Storm Center for Basketball Performance in Seattle. A proven trailblazer in her own right, Raman becomes the first Asian American of Indian descent to lead a WNBA team.
Raman, whose parents emigrated from India after completing college, broke ground in November 2020 as the first Indian American woman to serve as an NBA assistant coach, spending four seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies. Her mother is originally from Nagpur, while her father is from Chennai, formerly known as Madras.
In a 2020 FIBA Basketball interview, she credits her family for shaping her work ethic.
“Just seeing how hard they worked my whole life and still do has been my inspiration for how I approach everything,” she said.
Seattle Storm General Manager Talisa Rhea (left) and Seattle Storm Head Coach Sonia Raman (Photo by James Tabafunda)
Storm General Manager Talisa Rhea affirmed Raman’s hiring as the team’s ninth coach at a packed news conference that drew a wide variety of media professionals and team owners. She said the decision followed “an extensive and inclusive” search process that reflected the franchise’s commitment to diversity, player development, and innovation.
“Our interview process was extensive,” she said. “We talked to a diverse candidate pool with a wide range of experiences, but it was clear from the first conversation we had with Sonia that there was real alignment and the potential for a wonderful partnership. Sonia is a trailblazer, and her vision for us and where we could go was very exciting.”
Raman, 51, steps into the position after serving as an assistant coach for the WNBA’s New York Liberty during the 2024-25 seasons. Born in Framingham, Massachusetts, she attended Framingham High School.
Before her professional coaching career, Raman began her career as an assistant coach at her alma mater, Tufts University.
She later spent six years (2002-2008) as an assistant coach at Wellesley College and 12 years as the head women’s basketball coach at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where she transformed the program into a Division III powerhouse. She is a back-to-back NEWMAC (New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference) Coach of the Year in 2016 and 2017. Raman led MIT to three straight NEWMAC Championship games and became the winningest coach in MIT women’s basketball history.
She said, “I’d also like to thank everyone at MIT, Wellesley College, and Tufts University, where I spent a combined 20 years getting to do what I love every day.”
“This is a very exciting day for me and my family. I’m here with a lot of gratitude and joy—and some nerves,” Raman told reporters. “It was clear as I went through this process that there is a reason this organization has a championship tradition, and it starts with the people.”
“Seattle is a premier women’s basketball city steeped in community with an unrivaled fan base.”
In an Oct. 28 Storm online news post, Raman said, “Seattle holds a special place in my heart, and my family and I are thrilled to return to this incredible city. 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.”
A historic milestone for representation
Raman became one of the few South Asian leaders to rise to the highest ranks of American basketball coaching. Her noteworthy achievement represents a major milestone not only for the Seattle Storm, but for visibility across the Asian and South Asian American communities in sports leadership, historically underrepresented at professional levels.
“It’s a tremendous honor and a privilege to be sitting here and to be in that role,” she said when asked about the cultural significance of her hiring. “It’s a huge responsibility as well. I’ve said this before: I am the first, but I don’t want to be the last.”
On how the honor connects to the Asian American community in Seattle and the greater Asian community, she said, “It’s really important that I’m showing up every day, pouring into the players, to the organization, and then to the greater community—and that I’m doing my best so that I can create these opportunities, open these doors, or just allow this next generation to see what’s possible.”
“And I’m very excited for the community here in Seattle and to get to know them more in the months and years to come.”
Vision for a new era
The Storm’s coaching change follows the five-year tenure of Noelle Quinn, who led the team through a rebuilding phase after the September 2022 retirement of Sue Bird, who played 19 seasons with the Storm.
Rhea said Raman’s track record in basketball analytics, relationship-building, and player-centric coaching made her stand out in a competitive group of candidates. “Her commitment to building relationships and pouring into players and those around her has been and will continue to be at the core of her leadership. This was really important for us when we talked about how we can build successful teams together here in Seattle,” Rhea said.
“She’s innovative, forward thinking, and committed to the development of players individually and collectively as a group. This is a really exciting offseason for us here in Seattle,” she added. “I’m really thrilled to partner here with Sonia as we enter this new era and continue to build on this legacy.”
Raman, who earned her Juris Doctor from Boston College Law School in 2001, brings a philosophy shaped by both analytics and human connection. In her remarks, she emphasized balance between data and instinct, saying, “It can’t just be analytics. You have to balance it. … I think that analytics is a really great tool to use. It’s one of many tools, but you have to really know the game and have a feel for the game and understand what you’re coaching.”
“Understand where the exceptions are and sometimes what the analytics say to do might also provide you with the answers to how you win in the margins.”
She spoke in depth about her philosophy of coaching, emphasizing that her approach begins with seeing players as human beings before athletes. “I really care about every single player that I’ve ever coached and that I will ever coach, and care about them as people first. I think that’s really important,” she said.
Raman explained that understanding players’ lives outside basketball helps her build stronger relationships and earn their trust. She said she takes genuine interest in learning about what matters to them.
She said relationship building is not just a coaching method but the foundation of her leadership. “It starts there for me,” Raman said. “And I really light up when I get to build those relationships.” She adds that by connecting with players personally, she can better motivate them to reach their potential and support their growth.
She aims to help players at every stage of their careers—from rookies adjusting to professional life to veterans chasing championships—by guiding them to “be the best they can be for themselves and then, of course, for the organization as well.” She credits mentors from her own journey with shaping this perspective and said passing those lessons forward is central to how she leads.
When asked about how she’ll infuse her personality into the Storm, she said, “I love basketball. I’m so passionate about the game and getting to coach it every day. So we will feel that, and this place will feel that with me every day.”
For more about the Seattle Storm, go to storm.wnba.com.
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