The Connecticut Sun has a lot of work to do during the offseason. After the 2025 season came to a close in September, with no postseason run for the first time in nine years, these months are crucial for the Sun to rebuild.
While some players are overseas and others suit up to play in the Unrivaled league, new head coach Rachid Meziane has been putting in the work as well. Completely new to the league ahead of the 2025 season, Meziane had his work cut out for him. He had to learn the rules of the game while also rebuilding the roster from the ground up.
Now, he is reaching out to other women’s basketball coaches to learn more about what he can do to make the Sun successful. Most notably, he’s been seen talking to legendary UConn coach Geno Auriemma. Meziane first met the coach in 2014 at the World Cup in Turkey, and since then has admired her gameplay.
As one of the most iconic coaches in women’s college basketball, Meziane could learn a lot from Auriemma, including ways to better his Connecticut Sun. In an interview with the CT Insider, Meziane spoke about his experience learning from new coaches,
“I am this kind of coach who likes to learn from everyone, you know, coaches, like him with a big experience and the young coaches,” he said, “I am someone very open-minded. I’m very curious, and I think it’s one way to improve your management, your leadership, your coaching, is to be very open.”
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Although the Sun struggled this year, the core that Meziane put together over the course of the season was an impressive one. With Tina Charles and Marina Mabrey leading the charge, breakout star rookies brought a much needed refresh to the team’s game play.
Leila Lacan and Saniya Rivers are two powerhouses set to play with the Sun well into the future. Now that the Sun has a solid roster, the future of the team has never looked brighter. Despite turmoil surrounding a potential sale, Meziane is determined to bring the team back to its former glory.
Meziane told CT Insider, “Right now, I am 100 percent focused on preparing for the next season,” Meziane said. “So, building the best team as possible with the best people as possible.”
While there are still months to go before the first regular-season tip-off, this time is crucial for the team to find harmony. While the players put in the work on the court, hopefully, Meziane can bring out their full potential as a team.