Liron Fanan, general manager of the Cleveland Charge, has been named the NBA G League’s 2025-26 Basketball Executive of the Year, becoming the first woman to ever take home the honor. The award caps a 23-13 regular season that sends the Charge into the playoffs as the No. 3 seed, with a single-elimination first-round matchup against the Capital City Go-Go set for Wednesday, April 1, at 7:30 p.m. at Cleveland Public Hall. It is a tidy bit of timing for a season in which the Charge emerged as one of the league’s most productive offenses and a hub for roster development.
As reported by the Akron Beacon Journal, Fanan said she was “overwhelmed” when she learned she had been named Executive of the Year, describing what it has been like to juggle a fast-moving front-office job while staying in close contact with family in Israel amid the war. Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman told the Beacon Journal the recognition was “well deserved” and that the Cavs are “incredibly proud” of her. The outlet noted that G League head coaches and general managers voted on the award.
From Player Development To General Manager
Fanan joined the organization as director of G League player development before the 2018-19 season, then moved up to assistant general manager ahead of the 2020-21 campaign and finally into the general manager role in 2023. According to the NBA G League, her résumé already included an assistant general manager stint with EuroLeague powerhouse Maccabi Tel Aviv along with several years running player-development programs inside the Cavaliers system. Her promotion made her the first woman to serve as general manager in Charge history.
Why The Honor: On-Court Results And Development
According to the Akron Beacon Journal, Cleveland entered the postseason ranked second in offensive rating at 119.9, first in assists at 29.9 per game, second in scoring at 123.6 points per game and second in field-goal percentage at 49.4. Voters pointed to the Charge attack, the front office’s roster moves and the number of players who reached NBA rosters as key reasons for choosing Fanan. Team executives say those call-ups and the steady internal development of players are exactly what Fanan and her staff have been trying to build.
Call-Ups Underscore The Developmental Model
This season the Charge produced multiple NBA call-ups as part of that developmental blueprint. The team’s official call-ups page lists players who reached NBA rosters, including several who logged time with the Cavaliers and other franchises. That pipeline included in-season moves and two-way deals that reinforced the Charge approach of pairing veteran mentors with two-way and young talent. For the full rundown of names and dates, see the Cleveland Charge.
Historic Win For Women In Front Offices
Fanan’s award is a milestone for the G League, as she is the first woman to be recognized as Basketball Executive of the Year and now joins a previously all-male list of recipients. Records of past winners compiled by RealGM show the honor has typically gone to established front-office figures, which underscores how rare this kind of recognition has been for women in professional basketball.
Local coverage of the playoff slate confirms the Charge will open the postseason at home on April 1, with their 23-13 record and the 7:30 p.m. tipoff at Public Hall locked in. Between the new Executive of the Year trophy and a win-or-go-home opener on their home floor, Cleveland fans have plenty of incentive to show up downtown as the G League’s single-elimination rounds get underway.
