Last season’s all-conquering London Lions have moved quickly to ensure they’re doing everything they can to stay ahead of the competition for the coming season, by announcing the arrival of the WBBL’s first-ever General Manager, with Vanja Cernivec taking the role at the Copper Box.

Cernivec arrives from the Chicago Bulls after making history as NBA’s first international female scout.
Vanja’s latest appointment also serves as a legacy moment for women in sport, as Cernivec becomes the first-ever female WBBL General Manager.

Cernivec joins a London Lions side that has recently completed an unbeaten WBBL season, succeeding in all 34 domestic games with an average margin of 40 points, achieving a domestic clean sweep by winning the WBBL Play-Offs, Cup, Trophy and Championship. 

Speaking of her decision to join the London Lions, Cernivec said:

“When I accepted this role for the Lions, I was so happy to see the success they had last season and it also made me think what we need to do to improve the league in general.

“It was mainly the vision and the ambition of 777 for the London Lions and women’s basketball in the UK that influenced my decision. It will take a team effort and we will need to find a way to popularise the sport and at the same time be patient to allow slow and organic growth.

“I see the Lions playing a crucial role as front-runners and the initiators in developing and implementing this long-term strategy.”