Written By: Danny Williams
Twitter: danny_w22
Alex Sarama comes from a unique coaching background. The 31-year-old coach grew up in the United Kingdom, a country not necessarily known for its basketball prowess. So it is only fitting that the head coach’s practice philosophy also comes from a unique background.
Constraint-led approach (CLA) prioritizes uncertainty over repetition. It puts players in the mindset that every shot, play, and possession presents itself differently every time. Instead of practicing the same shot or play over and over with the same parameters, Sarama preaches preparing for real-game scenarios where unexpected variables arise, and his players must be ready for them.
Whether it’s shooting with a different-sized ball or from a different angle, the players adapt to unforeseen conditions that simulate the pressures of a real game atmosphere.
“When you have your shooting routines as a great shooter, it can be hard to come out of that sometimes and then adapt to doing something very different every single practice, and that’s what we’re really trying to do,” Sarama said. “For all our players, the shooting practice is going to be different every single day, and the way I view that, I don’t think it’s anything too radical.”
So far in 2026, the Fire have surpassed expectations, holding the ninth-best record in the league this season at 14-20 on the back of their head-man’s philosophy. However, the strategy only works if the players are bought in, and with just 10 games remaining in the regular season, it appears that the players have taken this strategy in stride.
Sarama first heard of CLA at the Future of Sport Coaching Summit in the United Kingdom eight years ago. At that point, the strategy had only been seen sparingly in sports such as soccer and field hockey – no mention of basketball.
From there, the then 23-year-old rose up the coaching ranks, from youth coach in Belgium and Italy to eventual NBA assistant with the Cleveland Cavaliers, perfecting the strategy.
Sarama credits Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson with learning how to implement CLA into a professional atmosphere and having the players' buy-in. Atkinson adopted the strategy and convinced NBA superstar and 17-year veteran James Harden to buy into the unique philosophy.
“I learned a lot from Coach Atkinson. I think Kenny [Atkinson] is one of the biggest proponents of CLA,” Sarama said. “It’s why he’s in player development. The reason he’s the best in the NBA, in my opinion, is because he’s so educated with [CLA], but not only that, the way he pitches it to players, [he] never needs to use complex words.”
No Fire player has seemingly benefited more from CLA than Bridget Carleton. Carleton, only two years younger than Sarama, is now in her eighth season in the league after being selected 21st overall in the 2019 Draft. After adopting CLA, the eight-year veteran has experienced a career renaissance.
Carleton has seen a leap in a plethora of categories in 2026. 14.7 points per game, 4.4 rebounds per game, and 2.8 three-pointers made per game are all career highs. Even with the increased usage (30.4 minutes per game), Carleton has posted the best efficiency of her career.
“It’s historical, the jump she has made. If people start diving into the records, Carleton is one of six players in league history where her usage has doubled at this rate, and the incredible thing is she’s actually more efficient than she was in Minnesota.” Sarama said.
Carleton is the most obvious beneficiary of the coaching strategy, but the team as a whole has also reaped the rewards greatly. The Fire rank fourth in three-pointers made and sixth in percentage, with six players shooting over 35% from distance.
Although the Fire still have some improving to do before it wants to be a perennial contender in the league, the blueprint is in place. Sarama’s unique style gives a young, up-and-coming team an identity and a sense of togetherness, knowing it can handle any situation that is thrown its way.
“We’ve only glimpsed the surface and the potential; it’s very, very early days, but I think there are more conversations about what [CLA] is. I think there are a lot of misconceptions as to what it looks like, but I’m really pleased to see how much our players support it.” Sarama said.
No, no, NO! You’ve GOT to give us MORE about what’s really involved wth this!