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Former WNBA MVP accepting big-time coaching opportunity

Former WNBA MVP accepting big-time coaching opportunity

Fowles, a four-time Defensive Player of the Year, is a Basketball Hall of Famer who won two WNBA championships — and two Finals MVPs — in 2015 and 2017.

Few rival Fowle’s defensive pedigree; she is fourth all-time in WNBA blocks and retired as the league’s all-time leading rebounder in 2022. Fowles is also an eight-time All-Star, and a three-time First Team All-WNBA player.

Now, she’ll be a WNBA assistant coach for the first time and is slated to work alongside Portland head coach Alex Sarama, a longtime NBA assistant coach who most recently served as the assistant coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Sylvia Fowles brings WNBA greatness to an expansion team

Fowles played in the WNBA from 2008 to 2022, with the Chicago Sky for her first six seasons and the Minnesota Lynx for her last seven. She won two WNBA titles with the Lynx (2015 and 2015), and was awarded Finals MVP honors in both championships. In 2017, she was also named league MVP.

Undoubtedly, the Portland Fire will benefit from that WNBA experience, especially considering their new head coach isn’t rooted in the WNBA.

“The opportunity to build something from the ground up is unique,” he said. “At the Fire, we’re not just creating a team – we’re redefining how the game is taught and played, through an approach centered around adaptability and supported by evidence-informed methodologies. We want to create a new standard for the game.”

It’s become a trend league-wide for teams to address the fact that some head coaches don’t have a ton of WNBA experience by bringing in WNBA veterans to coach alongside them.

For example, Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbets came over to the WNBA from the NBA, but the Mercury also benefit from having former WNBA star Kristi Tolliver as the team’s associate head coach. Newly-appointed New York Liberty head coach Chris DeMarco comes from over a decade spent with the Golden State Warriors, and it won’t be surprising if a former WNBA player is on his bench.

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Deadspin | Braves blast four homers to bypass Nationals  Apr 22, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA;  Atlanta Braves outfielder Michael Harris II (23) celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the second inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images   Michael Harris II hit two home runs, Matt Olson smacked a three-run shot and the Atlanta Braves rallied from an early three-run deficit to claim an 8-6 win against the host Washington Nationals on Wednesday night.  The seventh multi-homer game of Harris’ career helped Atlanta manager Walt Weiss earn his 300th victory. Drake Baldwin homered for the second straight game for the Braves, who have earned at least a split of the four-game series.  Dylan Lee (1-0) pitched a scoreless inning for the win. Robert Suarez pitched the ninth for his second save. After walking 12 batters on Tuesday night, Braves pitchers issued only three free passes.  James Wood homered for the second straight game for Washington. Daylen Lile hit a three-run homer and Joey Wiemer had a pinch-hit solo shot.  Washington starter Zack Littell (0-3) allowed eight runs (six earned) on seven hits over six innings.  The Braves started in on Littell early as Baldwin homered to right center in the first to make it 1-0.  Washington jumped in front with a four-run first against Atlanta starter Didier Fuentes, who lasted just three innings while allowing seven hits and four runs.   Wood and Luis Garcia, Jr. opened the first with singles and, after two strikeouts, Lile delivered a homer to center. Jacob Young singled and scored when Jorbit Vivas doubled to right.  The Braves came right back. Ozzie Albies reached on a Vivas error and Harris homered to right. Mike Yastrzemski singled, went to third on a single by Jonah Heim and scored on a sacrifice fly by Ronald Acuna, Jr.  Harris struck again in the third as his solo shot gave the Braves a 5-4 lead.  Atlanta broke it open in the fourth. Heim and Acuna drew one-out walks and, with two outs, Olson homered to right to make it 8-4.  The Nationals cut the deficit in half in the sixth on solo homers by pinch-hitter Wiemer and Wood, whose 413-foot shot was his National League-leading ninth of the season.  Washington got the tying runs on with two outs in the eighth, but Tyler Kinley struck out Curtis Mead.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Braves #blast #homers #bypass #NationalsApr 22, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Atlanta Braves outfielder Michael Harris II (23) celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the second inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images

Michael Harris II hit two home runs, Matt Olson smacked a three-run shot and the Atlanta Braves rallied from an early three-run deficit to claim an 8-6 win against the host Washington Nationals on Wednesday night.

The seventh multi-homer game of Harris’ career helped Atlanta manager Walt Weiss earn his 300th victory. Drake Baldwin homered for the second straight game for the Braves, who have earned at least a split of the four-game series.

Dylan Lee (1-0) pitched a scoreless inning for the win. Robert Suarez pitched the ninth for his second save. After walking 12 batters on Tuesday night, Braves pitchers issued only three free passes.

James Wood homered for the second straight game for Washington. Daylen Lile hit a three-run homer and Joey Wiemer had a pinch-hit solo shot.

Washington starter Zack Littell (0-3) allowed eight runs (six earned) on seven hits over six innings.

The Braves started in on Littell early as Baldwin homered to right center in the first to make it 1-0.


Washington jumped in front with a four-run first against Atlanta starter Didier Fuentes, who lasted just three innings while allowing seven hits and four runs.

Wood and Luis Garcia, Jr. opened the first with singles and, after two strikeouts, Lile delivered a homer to center. Jacob Young singled and scored when Jorbit Vivas doubled to right.

The Braves came right back. Ozzie Albies reached on a Vivas error and Harris homered to right. Mike Yastrzemski singled, went to third on a single by Jonah Heim and scored on a sacrifice fly by Ronald Acuna, Jr.

Harris struck again in the third as his solo shot gave the Braves a 5-4 lead.

Atlanta broke it open in the fourth. Heim and Acuna drew one-out walks and, with two outs, Olson homered to right to make it 8-4.

The Nationals cut the deficit in half in the sixth on solo homers by pinch-hitter Wiemer and Wood, whose 413-foot shot was his National League-leading ninth of the season.

Washington got the tying runs on with two outs in the eighth, but Tyler Kinley struck out Curtis Mead.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Braves #blast #homers #bypass #Nationals">Deadspin | Braves blast four homers to bypass Nationals  Apr 22, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA;  Atlanta Braves outfielder Michael Harris II (23) celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the second inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images   Michael Harris II hit two home runs, Matt Olson smacked a three-run shot and the Atlanta Braves rallied from an early three-run deficit to claim an 8-6 win against the host Washington Nationals on Wednesday night.  The seventh multi-homer game of Harris’ career helped Atlanta manager Walt Weiss earn his 300th victory. Drake Baldwin homered for the second straight game for the Braves, who have earned at least a split of the four-game series.  Dylan Lee (1-0) pitched a scoreless inning for the win. Robert Suarez pitched the ninth for his second save. After walking 12 batters on Tuesday night, Braves pitchers issued only three free passes.  James Wood homered for the second straight game for Washington. Daylen Lile hit a three-run homer and Joey Wiemer had a pinch-hit solo shot.  Washington starter Zack Littell (0-3) allowed eight runs (six earned) on seven hits over six innings.  The Braves started in on Littell early as Baldwin homered to right center in the first to make it 1-0.  Washington jumped in front with a four-run first against Atlanta starter Didier Fuentes, who lasted just three innings while allowing seven hits and four runs.   Wood and Luis Garcia, Jr. opened the first with singles and, after two strikeouts, Lile delivered a homer to center. Jacob Young singled and scored when Jorbit Vivas doubled to right.  The Braves came right back. Ozzie Albies reached on a Vivas error and Harris homered to right. Mike Yastrzemski singled, went to third on a single by Jonah Heim and scored on a sacrifice fly by Ronald Acuna, Jr.  Harris struck again in the third as his solo shot gave the Braves a 5-4 lead.  Atlanta broke it open in the fourth. Heim and Acuna drew one-out walks and, with two outs, Olson homered to right to make it 8-4.  The Nationals cut the deficit in half in the sixth on solo homers by pinch-hitter Wiemer and Wood, whose 413-foot shot was his National League-leading ninth of the season.  Washington got the tying runs on with two outs in the eighth, but Tyler Kinley struck out Curtis Mead.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Braves #blast #homers #bypass #Nationals

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