The Golden State Warriors' new WNBA team named Ohemaa Nyanin as its first general manager, the franchise announced on Monday. Nyanin, who previously served as the assistant general manager for the New York Liberty, will oversee all basketball operations for the WNBA Bay Area expansion team, including roster construction, team building and player development. She will report to Warriors co-executive chairman and CEO Joe Lacob and is set to begin her new role next week.
Nyanin’s background includes over five years with the Liberty, where she contributed in various capacities, most recently as assistant general manager.
“I am truly honored to be chosen as the first general manager of WNBA Golden State,” Nyanin said, per the Associated Press. “Throughout the interview process, it was clear that bringing a WNBA team to the Bay Area was meticulously thought out and those involved are motivated changemakers who will be proactive in growing the league. I look forward to joining this franchise and building a competitive basketball team that the fans deserve.”
Prior to her tenure with the Liberty, Nyanin spent five years as USA Basketball’s assistant director of the women’s national team. In this role, she managed youth national teams during international competitions, handling delegation logistics and serving as a translator in Spanish-speaking countries. She also played an integral role in the USA Basketball Women’s National Team winning gold medals at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and the 2018 World Cup in Spain.
“Ohemaa is the perfect fit to lead our WNBA basketball operations as we prepare for our inaugural season in 2025,” Lacob said. “She brings an incredible knowledge of the WNBA and international women’s basketball landscape from her time with the Liberty and USA Basketball. Additionally, she has a deep passion and desire to build a strong culture and, ultimately, win basketball games. We are thrilled to welcome her to Golden State.”
Expansion team makes strategic hires
The Golden State Warriors' new WNBA team also appointed Jess Smith as its president in January, leveraging her successful background with the NWSL’s Angel City FC. Smith took the helm officially in February.
Smith’s work at Angel City FC was notable for its strong commercial results and innovative approach to sponsorships, which reinvested a portion of funds into the community. She envisions the new team as a powerhouse in basketball and a standard-setter in the sports industry.
“We want to push things forward,” Smith said at the time of her hiring. “We want to build a legacy that has the opportunity to be that and so much more.”
Warriors president and COO Brandon Schneider acknowledged Smith’s goals and emphasized the importance of building a franchise that promotes equity and prioritizes community engagement.
“We think that we can learn a lot from other WNBA teams and other sports teams more broadly, but we also want to do things differently,” Schneider said. “We don’t want to just sort of fall into line with how everyone else has done it, we want to push things forward.”
Team will play at Chase Center
The expansion team set to play its games at the Chase Center, home of the Warriors. The team will be owned and operated by Warriors owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber. While the team will share the “Golden State” name with the men's team, it is still undecided whether they will also be called the Warriors or adopt a different name.
The addition of the new team is seen as a significant step for both the WNBA and the Bay Area. Many WNBA players have expressed the importance of expansion to grow the league.
The team, set to debut in 2025, will be the 13th in the league and marks the first WNBA expansion since 2008.
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