NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Seattle, WA, October 28, 2025: In a groundbreaking moment for Indian American representation in professional sports, Sonia Raman has been named the new head coach of the Seattle Storm, becoming the first person of Indian descent to lead a team in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).
Raman’s journey to the top of women’s basketball is anything but ordinary. Born in Framingham, Massachusetts, to Indian immigrant parents, she played college basketball as a walk-on at Tufts University before earning a law degree from Boston College Law School. She briefly worked in finance and government before turning her focus entirely to coaching — a decision that would ultimately redefine her career and inspire a new generation of athletes.
Her coaching path began at Wellesley College, where she served as an assistant from 2002 to 2008, before taking over as head coach of the MIT women’s basketball program. Over 12 seasons at MIT, Raman became the program’s winningest coach and twice earned the NEWMAC Coach of the Year title.
In 2020, Raman broke into the NBA ranks as an assistant coach with the Memphis Grizzlies, where she focused on scouting, analytics, and player development — skills that quickly set her apart in a league increasingly driven by data and innovation. Earlier this year, she joined the New York Liberty as an assistant coach before accepting the Seattle Storm’s head coaching position.
