Ghanaian-American Ohemaa Nyanin has been named the inaugural general manager of the WNBA’s latest expansion team, the Golden State franchise.
In this groundbreaking role, Nyanin will oversee all basketball operations, reporting directly to Warriors co-executive chairman and CEO Joe Lacob. Her responsibilities will extend to ushering in the WNBA’s 13th franchise and first expansion organization since 2008.
Nyanin brings a wealth of experience to her new position, having previously served as the Director of Basketball Operations and Assistant General Manager for the New York Liberty. During her tenure in New York, the Liberty made three WNBA playoff appearances, including a remarkable run to the 2023 WNBA Finals as the No. 2 overall seed.
Before her stint with the Liberty, Nyanin held the role of national team assistant director for the USA Women’s Basketball team, contributing to their gold medal victories at the 2016 Olympics and the 2018 World Cup. Her international experience also includes serving as the FIBA Americas World Cup Qualifier Technical Delegate and Manager.
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At her unveiling news conference, Nyanin expressed her excitement and gratitude for the opportunity, stating, “The investment that has already been committed to building an incredible WNBA franchise is nothing short of amazing. I’m just really excited to collaborate with the current and future incredible minds to build a winning culture.”
As the architect of an expansion team, one of Nyanin’s most crucial early decisions will be hiring a head coach. While the timeline for this decision remains “fluid,” she emphasized the priority of securing the best possible candidate to lead the team.
Nyanin’s vision extends beyond the court, as she aims to assemble a well-rounded and diverse team of professionals. “I will look to recruit the best minds, the best basketball minds, the best artistic minds, the best eclectic minds to build the strongest team in the W,” she said.
Confidence exudes from Nyanin as she embarks on this new challenge, asserting, “Winning is the foundation of this organization. So why not us, and it will be us. I’m just excited to get started.”
While the Golden State franchise has yet to unveil its brand identity, an expansion draft will be held later this year to begin building the team’s roster. Nyanin is expected to officially commence her tenure on May 13, marking the start of an exciting new chapter for the WNBA and the Golden State franchise.
