Who Is Inky Son? Meet the Portland Team’s First Employee As WNBA Expansion Officially Begins

One of the newest additions to the growing list of WNBA expansion teams, the Portland franchise, just hired its very first employee. This is a huge step for the team as it looks to start competing in the 2026 season.

Who Is Inky Son?
Inky Son was recently hired as the Portland WNBA franchise’s first team president. Before joining the franchise, she served as the chief administrative officer at the NBA Players Association. Prior to her work in sports, Son held roles in sales and marketing for major fashion brands including Calvin Klein, DKNY, and others. She is a graduate of George Washington University’s School of Business.

As team president, Son will oversee all business operations, establish a front office, and work to grow the organization. In her statement announcing her new role, she expressed excitement about bringing a WNBA team back to Portland — a city known for its passionate support of women’s sports.

Portland’s History With Women’s Sports
Portland has had an interesting history with women’s sports. Though now known as a booming city for women’s athletics, it wasn’t always that way. The WNBA previously had a team in Portland — the Portland Fire, which began operations in 2000.

The Fire had just one non-losing season, finishing exactly at .500. At the time, it appeared Portland wasn’t quite ready for a WNBA franchise. Amid financial struggles and an inability to find a buyer after the team was sold, the Fire ceased operations in 2002 after only three seasons in the league.

In 2012, the newly formed NWSL awarded Portland a franchise: the Portland Thorns. Portland embraced the club with open arms, and the Thorns became a pioneer in the league, especially in fan engagement. The club has seen a solid history of success since their integration, and have won the NWSL Championship three times, most recently in in 2022.

The city’s enthusiastic support of the NWSL helped solidify its place as a key market for women’s sports — and fans have been eager to see the WNBA return ever since. Now, that day has finally come.

With Son’s diverse background in both fashion and sports business, she’s well positioned to lead the Portland WNBA team forward. She has the chance to help establish the franchise as a fixture in the city’s sports culture. Given the success of the Thorns and Portland’s growing reputation as a women’s sports hub, the city is sure to give its new WNBA team a warm welcome.