UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- Rachid Meziane was introduced Thursday as the head coach of the Connecticut Sun as the franchise embarks on a new era, one it sees as an "opportunity to take us to the next level," general manager Morgan Tuck said.
Meziane -- who has extensive coaching experience internationally, including in France and leading the Belgium national team -- replaces Stephanie White, who left after two years for the Indiana Fever.
"The WNBA has the best players and the best teams in the world," Meziane said. "This is one opportunity I couldn't pass up. ... This is more than a dream to be part of this league."
The formal introduction came less than a week before free agency negotiations officially begin leaguewide. The Sun have been one of the league's most successful franchises in recent years, boasting six consecutive semifinal appearances. But the team faces a lot of question marks surrounding its roster with just three players currently under contract and its big three -- Alyssa Thomas, DeWanna Bonner and Brionna Jones -- all free agents.
Connecticut brass acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the roster but said the team will continue to look to position itself to win its first WNBA title -- even, as Tuck said, if it takes time for the new pieces to mesh.
"A championship, that's my standard of success in general," said Tuck, who was promoted to GM last month. "But I think it's going to take some time for us to get used to everybody. ... We still want to be very competitive. ... We have a really high standard, and I think we have to have high standards to be able to get there. And it's not like we're starting from scratch... success is building on top of that."
With most of the league set to become free agents in 2026, when a new CBA is expected to come into effect, Meziane is also tasked with "building a foundation, building a culture, building a style of play that's very attractive to people," team president Jennifer Rizzotti said, "and having people know that they can come to Connecticut, play for a coach like Rachid and have a lot of success."
The WNBA's recent growth has also led to a more pronounced focus on investing in the player experience, something Rizzotti said is not lost on the Mohegan tribe, which owns the team. The Sun have yet to announce plans of building a dedicated practice facility, which has become increasingly common around the WNBA and can help lure players. Thomas, who has played her entire career for Connecticut, recently called on "Mohegan... to do better" in providing for players.
"We've had an ownership group that's been investing in this team for decades," Rizzotti said. "They understand that there'll be new investments that need to be made, and they are committed to making sure that this franchise stays at the top of the league, and they're aware of the investment that has to happen in order for us to stay there."
Regardless of who is on the roster, Meziane intends to bring a European influence to Connecticut, including an offensive philosophy predicated on read-and-react and up-tempo play, ball movement and sharing scoring responsibilities. But that won't come at the cost, he said, of producing a strong defense, which has been a hallmark of recent Sun teams.
Sun leadership liked Meziane's diversity of experience, offensive mind and background coaching so many high-level players, including Emma Meesseman, Julie Vanloo and Shavonte Zellous, overseas. And regardless of how free agency pans out, the Sun felt confident he could build a successful roster, Rizzotti said.
"I think it's exciting when there's optimism around the next chapter," Rizzotti said. "We have had such a storied success over the last decade, and we've had some really good coaches in here. To be able to add Rachid to that list, and know what he can bring to the table in terms of his experience, his offensive expertise, his confidence, it's just exciting to be thinking about the future."