Meet the Portland Fire's First Roster
Ahead of tonight's season opener, this piece introduces the thirteen women who are about to make history.
Tonight’s regular season opener at Moda Center represents a new beginning for women’s basketball in the Rose City.
Diehards have followed this team for years - dating back to the announcement of the WNBA coming to Portland, and independent journalist tour de force Sean Highkin’s reporting on the reignition of the Fire branding - but I expect many Portland sports fans are asking a simple question ahead of tonight’s game.
Who are the Portland Fire?
With that in mind, this piece will spotlight the thirteen women are on the precipice of making history tonight, as the first members of Portland’s WNBA expansion team to play in a regular season game.
#0 Carla Leite - Guard
Leite was selected in the expansion draft. Despite a delayed arrival due to her commitments with EuroLeague contenders Casademont Zaragoza, the French playmaker quickly proved her worth in Alex Sarama’s system. In each of the Fire’s two preseason games, Leite started at point guard, showing the ability to penetrate into the paint, kick out to open shooters on the perimeter, and shoot three pointers when necessary.
If any player on this team has superstar potential, it’s Leite, who was so beloved by Golden State Valkyries fans last season that they christened a nickname for her: the Leite Show.
#1 Sug Sutton - Guard
Sutton, like Leite, was picked in the expansion draft. Once a wide-eyed rookie with long odds to make a team after being 36th overall pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft, Sutton is now a wily veteran guard, boasting over four years of WNBA playing experience, and six years hooping across the globe.
During the 2023 season, she made history scoring the Phoenix Mercury’s first-ever triple-double. 2025 saw another career milestone achieved, as Sutton started every game for the first time in her career. Playing with the Washington Mystics last season, the 5’8” point guard shot a career-best 42.2% from the field, and flashed reliable defense with 0.8 steals per game.
#2 Jordan Harrison - Guard
Jordan Harrison was a longshot to make the roster, and now she made it. At West Virginia, Harrison was a member of the Big 12 Conference’s All-Defense Team and it’s Defensive Player of the Year, while also averaging 13.9 points and 5.2 assists per game. Despite those accolades, she was not selected in last month’s WNBA draft.
Undeterred, she signed a training camp contract with Portland, embracing the Rose City (including a trip to the Nike Store) and Alex Sarama’s Constraints Led-Approach. In two preseason games, Harrison displayed two traits Sarama’s system covets: skilled passing, and quick recovery in transition defense.
#3 Sarah Ashlee Barker - Guard
As a rookie last season with the Los Angeles Sparks, Sarah Ashlee Barker showed the potential to be a successful Three-and-D guard long term. Naturally, Portland picked her in the expansion draft.
During the early days of camp, Barker enlightened local media on the nuances of Alex Sarama’s coaching methods:
“Yeah, you know the CLA method of learning is the Constraints Led-Approach. So he [Alex Sarama] is just really into putting us in situations on the court that are game-like every single day. We don’t do a singular drill that’s not important, or that doesn’t mimic a game, or a rep that doesn’t mimic a game. For us, it’s even in the shooting and all that kind of stuff. If you look around, like our positioning and how we shoot in this, it’s like everything is so catered to game-like reps. I think that’s very important, too. It’s not just, come in just kind of shoot freely and stuff like that, it’s ‘Hey, this is the importance of it.’, this is what we’re trying to do, and everyone’s bought in. So, it’s been really cool.”
#6 Bridget Carleton - Forward
Bridget Carleton has already made history in many ways: she was this team’s first expansion draft pick, and it’s first million dollar contract signing. When she steps on the floor tonight, she will also be the Fire’s first captain.
In a one-on-one interview with ESPN’s Malika Andrews moments after the expansion draft selections were announced, Fire general manager Vanja Černivec explained why the veteran Minnesota Lynx rotation player was her choice to lead a new generation in Portland.
“With Bridget, the strategy was ‘Who was an unrestricted free agent that just immediately stood out?‘ and then the strategy went ‘How do we make sure that she ends up on our roster?’, and the obvious logic was she’s gonna be our number one pick. Bridget is someone that - number one - everybody wants to play with. Her character speaks for herself. What she brings on the court on both ends of the floor, it’s something that’s hard to find in a player. We’re very excited to see her excel defensively, but also kind of stretch the floor and play modern, team-oriented basketball on the offense.”
Carleton grew up in the Canadian province of Ontario, and has carved a niche as one of the best three point shooters in the WNBA. In 2024, she shot a white hot 44% from the field, and 44% behind the arc.
#13 Nyadiew Puoch - Forward
Portland took a risk selecting Nyadiew Puoch in last month’s expansion draft - the 2024 Atlanta Dream first rounder had already passed twice on the chance to play stateside - but she eagerly signed a training camp contract, and earned her spot on this roster.
Born in Tasmania and growing up in Melbourne, the 21 year old dominated Australia’s Women’s National Basketball League, winning a league title in 2024. That same year, she starred at the inaugural Nike Hoop Summit, scoring 16 points and a game-high four blocked shots.
In Portland’s preseason opener against Seattle, Puoch scored 4 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist in 21 minutes. She looked markedly improved the following Sunday against Los Angeles, shooting a near-perfect 4/5 from the field and 2/3 from three point range, with 12 points, 1 rebound, and 2 assists across 23 minutes. Defense will be a work in progress for Puoch this season, as the young forward tallied a worrisome -12 plus/minus during Sunday’s game.
#15 Luisa Geiselsöder - Center
26 year old center Luisa Geiselsöder hails from the rural Bavarian town of Ansbach, ninety miles north of Munich. A well-known prospect in European basketball circles, the German big starred on Germany’s U16 team at the 2016 FIBA European Championship, their 2018 U18 team at the same competition, and last summer’s German senior team at the FIBA EuroBasket tournament.
Last season marked her rookie campaign in the W, and she excelled: across 28 games, Geiselsöder earned 24 starts, finishing in the top nine among all WNBA rookies league-wide in steals, blocks, field goal percentage, and rebounds. So far this season, she’s shown that same level of production, and will likely start at center this season.
Portland picked the promising center in last month’s expansion draft.
#17 Megan Gustafson - Center
When the Fire signed Megan Gustafson in free agency, they got more than an experienced center: they also got Instagram celebrity Pancake, Gustafson’s adorable Corgi.
Gustafson is much more than a dog mom, however, as one post-practice interview made obvious last month. When asked about her connection to head coach Alex Sarama and general manager Vanja Černivec - all three previously worked together with the London Lions of the British Basketball League - Gustafson offered valuable perspective:
“Yeah, I think their differential learning approach has been really refreshing. Being in the league for eight years - this is my eighth year now - some of the same things you kind of see over and over again, and obviously repetition is good and that’s how you get better, but at the same time, like, [it] makes basketball fun again when you can do new things and bring a refreshing perspective to the game. So I think that’s exactly what we’re doing. I’ve had a lot of fun these past few days. This is the fourth day in a row where we’ve gone, so I’m a little tired, but you know it’s been a lot of fun, a lot of growth.”
#20 Feirda Bühner - Forward
Like Luisa Geiselsöder, Frieda Bühner stars on the German national team. Unlike her Bavarian counterpart, Bühner has no prior WNBA playing experience. That won’t deter the 21 year old wing - who made the roster as a developmental player per new WNBA CBA rules - and is trying to make the most of this opportunity. After the team’s first preseason game, Bühner raved about her dream of playing stateside:
“It’s always been a dream of mine to be in the W, and now to get this chance is just amazing. Then with an expansion team - I think it’s such a nice chance that I have - and yeah, I’m just super excited. The practice today was great. It was so much fun. Not like something I’m used to, but honestly, [it was] so much positive energy. I think it’s a lot for me still, right now, but [I’m] just trying to take it step by step and [I’m] just taking everything with me that I can, and trying to learn, and get better everyday.”
Portland selected her in the second round of last month’s amateur draft, 17th overall.
#21 Emily Engstler - Forward
With tattoos, cornrows, and attitude on & off the court, Emily Engstler looks ready to represent the Rose City. Portland took the journeyman wing in the expansion draft, and she quickly emerged as a team leader in training camp. Less than a week into practices, she coined a nickname for rookie Nyadiew Puoch, “Nars”, and took time to encourage her young teammate:
“I haven’t gotten a chance to see her length in like a full five-on-five court action, and like she was everywhere, man. She was rebounding the ball. She was pushing the ball. She was shooting threes. She was getting to the basket. I think that’s a big takeaway. Someone so young like Nars - like you got a 21 year old who’s never played in the WNBA - who’s getting up and down for the first time with us, and she’s hooping. So that was really dope to see our youngin’s get the system super quickly…”
Engstler played 17 minutes in the Seattle preseason opener, scoring 5 points, 7 boards, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks. She suffered an injury in the 4th quarter, and missed last Sunday’s matchup with Los Angeles.
#25 Serah Williams - Center
Alongside Jordan Harrison, third round rookie Serah Williams was another surprise addition to Portland’s final roster. Like Harrison, Williams earned this honor through gritty, determined showings in both preseason games. The Fire traded for Williams on draft night because of her defensive prowess - and she exceled on that end in the preseason - but the UConn big also showed shooting touch, a knack for rebounding, and other valuable traits. After the 2024 and 2025 WNBA drafts, only 2 third rounders leaguewide made their team’s opening day rosters. In 2026, Williams is a deserved exception.
#30 Haley Jones - Guard/Forward
Stanford grad Haley Jones is the kind of player who benefits from WNBA expansion. Talent has never been an issue for the Santa Cruz native - who was once a McDonalds All-American and ESPN’s number one recruit in the 2019 class - but WNBA teams are flush with talent, and sometimes promising young talents slip through the cracks.
That arguably happened with Jones - taken sixth overall in 2023 by the Atlanta Dream - who saw limited minutes in her rookie season, broke through with a career-high 24 starts in 2024, but got waived on the eve of last year’s season opener. After bouncing between Phoenix and Dallas on short-term deals last season, Portland called her name in the expansion draft.
With two additional teams in the league, and the twenty-four roster spots that represents, Jones has an incredible opportunity for career redemption in Portland.
#44 Karlie Samuelson - Guard
Karlie Samuelson shares traits with several other players on this team. Like Sug Sutton and Bridget Carleton, she has playing experience: Samuelson has played for 6 different WNBA franchises across 7 seasons. Like the aforementioned Carleton, Samuelson is a three-point sniper: she shot 48.5% behind the arc during her senior year of college, and 42.6% from distance in 2023.
After suffering a knee injury early last season, the Minnesota Lynx traded Samuelson to Dallas, who waived her. Portland signed her in free agency last month.
—
Matt Bagley is a professional sportswriter and broadcaster with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.
PortlandSupporter.com is 100% subscription-free & advertisement-free. Instead, we conclude every article with a brief spotlight on our favorite local charities.
Oregon Pride in Business champions economic empowerment for LGBTQIA2S+ businesses and communities throughout Oregon and SW Washington. They empower LGBTQIA2S+ small business entrepreneurs and professionals, collaborate with nonprofit advocates, and engage with business and civic leaders to support policies that foster a more inclusive and welcoming business community. To learn about becoming a supporting member, browse this link.