One day after announcing a new general manager, the Connecticut Sun hired Rachid Mezian as the franchise’s new head coach.
A native of France, Meziane replaces Stephanie White, who was released in October after two seasons.
“We are excited to welcome Rachid as the new head coach of the Connecticut Sun,” general manager Morgan Tuck said in a statement. “He brings a wealth of experience, passion and proven track record to help elevate our players and the team as a whole. Rachid’s dedication and commitment to growing women’s basketball both internationally and domestically brings a unique perspective on and off the court that aligns with the values and vision of our organization. We look forward to the future under Rachid’s leadership and look forward to the positive impact he will have on our team and community.”
Meziane (44) has coached French women’s team ESB Villeneuve-d’Ascq since 2019, where he won the league title in the 2023-2024 season and led the team to second place in the EuroLeague last season.
Meziane also served as head of video analysis for the French women’s national team from 2014 to 2021 and later led Belgium to a gold medal at last year’s FIBA European Women’s Championship.
During his time in France and Belgium, Meziane coached several players who are currently in the WNBA – Kennedy Burke, Shavonte Zellous, Emma Meesseman, Julie Vanloo and Carla Leite.
The Sun are coming off a 28-12 season, finishing four games behind the eventual WNBA champion New York Liberty in the Eastern Conference. In their eighth straight season of making the playoffs, they were eliminated in the league semifinals for the second year in a row.
On Tuesday, the Sun announced that Tuck is the team’s new general manager, replacing Darius Taylor, who will assume the roles of chief basketball strategist and director of scouting.