Connecticut Sun have new coach after getting jilted for Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever

A month after Stephanie White left the Connecticut Sun for the head-coaching gig with the Indiana Fever, her former team has named her successor. 

The Sun on Wednesday announced the hiring of Rachid Meziane to be the team’s next head coach. 

The news comes one day after Connecticut promoted Morgan Tuck to general manager in place of Darius Taylor, who is now the team’s chief basketball strategist and director of scouting. 

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Meziane, 44, has nearly two decades of coaching experience. He is currently the head coach of French basketball club, Villeneuve-d’Ascq, and recently coached the Belgian women’s national team to a fourth-place finish in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. 

In a statement, Tuck lauded Meziane for his “wealth of experience, passion, and a proven track record of success that will help elevate our players and team as a whole.

“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,” Tuck said. “We look forward to the future under Rachid’s leadership and are excited for the positive impact he will have on our team and community.”

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Last season, Meziane led Villeneuve d’Ascq to a Ligue Feminine de Basketball Championship. During the six-game run, Villenueve d’Ascq beat its opponents by an average of 17.7 points. Meziane’s team also finished as a runner-up in Euroleague last season with a 19-3 regular-season record. 

Meziane will inherit a Sun team that could look very different from 2024.

Last season, Connecticut went 28-12 before being bounced in the WNBA semifinals by the Minnesota Lynx. White previously expressed concerns that the Sun’s championship window may be closing as several key contributors, including Alyssa Thomas, DeWanna Bonner and Brionna Jones are set to hit the free-agency market this offseason. 

It was widely believed White would be a top candidate for head-coaching vacancies this offseason, despite still being under contract with the Sun. She left Connecticut last month to take the same job at Indiana.

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While the Sun’s future is in flux, the Fever have a generational talent in 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark to build around, offering a clear path to success. 

The Fever went 20-20 last season under Christie Sides, who was fired this offseason to make way for White after two years at the helm.