WNBA team’s new coaching staff signals beginning of a new era

It's a new era of Connecticut sun basketball. Longtime franchisees Alyssa Thomas and Brionna Jones left the organization this summer.

Also, the new era means that new coaching staff will be taking up side jobs at Mohegan Sun Arena. Stephanie White is currently leading the Indiana Fever, with the Sun hiring Belgian national team coach Rakid Mezian.

On Monday, Median announced the entire coaching staff. Several members are back – Ryan Newton is head athletic trainer and physiotherapist, Janie Brooks is an assistant athletic trainer and Analis Rios is a strength and conditioning coach.

However, Meziane also invites a large group of new staff members.

• Chaz Franklin is the new head of player development. Franklin was recently the director of player development at Marquette University Women's Basketball and before that was the director of player development at Chicago Sky. Also participating in the player development staff are Kevin Owens and Bak Sawi. Sawi was recently an assistant men's basketball coach at Southern Coast Academy Prep School, while Owens was previously the team's video coordinator during the 2023 season.
• Kristenman as basketball development manager. She is a former professional basketball player WNBA From 2005 to 2010, I played overseas for nearly 20 years.
• Christina Bouchais has coached basketball in Maine for the past four years and previously coached high school and college basketball before being the manager of basketball operations.

Rachid Meziane coaches new look Connecticut Sun

Rachid Meziane was previously head coach villeneuve-d'ascqA French club that has been runner-up in the Euroleague in each of the past two seasons. He coached again Belgian Women's Team It came in fourth at the 2024 Parish Games.

As is currently the 2024-25 Connecticut Sun roster is Natasha Cloud, Marina Mabrie, Tina Charles, Jay Sheldonand Olivia Nelson Ododa.

Cloud, one WNBAPhoenix last season has a Premier Guard defender averaged 11.5 points, 6.9 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.4 steel.

Mablay, who traded to Connecticut in July, also demanded trade, but it appears that the Sun wants to hug both guards. Mabrey averaged 14.9 points, shooting 42.4% from three in the part of the season she spent as the Sun.

Meanwhile, Charles returns to the franchise he drafted 15 years after his WNBA career began. The WNBA's second all-time best scorer and the best rebounder of all time signed a one-year contract with the Sun for the past month.

Median works to compete for Connecticut despite a significant amount of roster turnover, and Cloud, Mavray and Charles have three veterans who have been heavily produced throughout their careers. Under Median, new additions to the Sun Coaching staff work to maximize their talent.