Sun hire coach Meziane of Belgian national team

Rachid Meziane, who has long coached professionally in France and leads the Belgian women’s national team, is the new coach of the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun.

The announcement came Wednesday, the day after the Sun named former WNBA and UConn player Morgan Tuck as its new general manager. Tuck took over for Darius Taylor, who is now the team’s chief basketball strategist and director of scouting.

Meziane replaces Stephanie White, who left the Sun to become coach of the Indiana Fever. A native of Clermont-Ferrand, France, Meziane had led the French women’s basketball club, Villeneuve d’Ascq, since 2019. That team won the Ligue Feminine de Basketball (LFB) championship and was EuroLeague runner-up for the 2023-24 season.

“He brings a wealth of experience, passion, and a proven track record of success that will help elevate our players and team as a whole,” Tuck said in a statement released by the Sun. “Rachid’s dedication and commitment to growing women’s basketball, internationally and domestically, brings a unique perspective both on and off the court that aligns with the values and vision of our organization.”

Meziane has coached the Belgium national team since November 2022 and led it to the FIBA European women’s championship (EuroBasket) gold medal in 2023. Belgium lost the bronze medal game to Australia in the 2024 Olympics. Meziane previously was an assistant coach to the French women’s national team, which won a bronze medal in the 2020 Olympics.

“I am honored to represent a franchise like the Connecticut Sun, a team and organization with a rich history and a passionate fan base,” Meziane said. “I look forward to working with our talented roster and assembling a dedicated coaching staff, as we continue to build upon the Sun’s legacy and strive for a championship.”

The Sun have not won a WNBA title but have appeared in the WNBA Finals four times. Connecticut was 28-12 this past season and lost 3-2 to Minnesota in the semifinals. There could be a lot of roster turnover coming for the Sun. They have just three players under contract for the 2025 season according to Her Hoops Stats, with stars Alyssa Thomas, DeWanna Bonner and Brionna Jones as unrestricted free agents.

Connecticut Sun president Jen Rizzotti said her experience with USA Basketball allowed her the chance to watch Meziane in FIBA competitions.

“I’ve witnessed firsthand his exceptional basketball IQ and his ability to prepare his teams to compete at the highest level in any situation,” Rizzotti said. “As we looked for a key differentiator to elevate Connecticut’s success and cultivate a championship mindset for the future, Rachid’s extensive experience and passion for the game stood out.”

There are still two head coach openings in the WNBA for 2025, in Dallas and in Washington. The Mystics also have not named a new general manager.