Opening Day of the 2026 WNBA season has arrived, meaning Year 1 for the Toronto Tempo is officially about to begin.
And with that, head coach Sandy Brondello and her staff have finalized the inaugural team’s initial roster.
To get everyone set for what’s going to be a historic first season for the Tempo and a special 30th-anniversary campaign for the WNBA, here’s a breakdown of Toronto’s first-ever roster ahead of Friday’s matchup against the Washington Mystics.
Introducing your 2026 Toronto Tempo opening day roster.
History starts here. 🤝
Marquee Moments presented by Sephora Canada pic.twitter.com/GbQvjif6W9
— Toronto Tempo (@TempoBasketball) May 7, 2026
Marina Mabrey (G): No. 1 option
Going into Year 8, the microwave scorer and “Crashout Queen” has finally been put into a position to put it all together. She’ll be considered one of the Tempo’s top offensive options, based on talent, reputation and investment. Mabrey is now one of the league’s top-paid guards, and Toronto is hoping that on the heels of her breakout showing as the Unrivaled league’s top scorer this past summer, she can bring that edge to the expansion franchise. Think high-volume perimeter shooter, who can also put it on the deck and work into some mid-range looks.
Brittney Sykes (G): Point-of-attack pest
A.K.A. “Slim,” the 10-year vet is widely regarded as one of the WNBA’s top defenders. She’s a four-time all-defence selection and two-time steals champ. In fact, GMs around the league voted her the second-best perimeter defender and top-ranked athlete. And the guard will certainly be a leader helping the Tempo establish the defensive identity they’re hoping to. Sykes now forms the WNBA’s first million-dollar backcourt with fellow New Jersey native Mabrey. The 32-year-old is no slouch on the offensive end either, routinely slashing off the ball, shooting when called upon and handling spot PG duties. Sykes is also coming off her first WNBA all-star selection last season, averaging 14.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.2 steals between the Washington Mystics and Seattle Storm.
Super funny moment today when Brittney Sykes jumped into the scrum to interview Tempo teammate, Marina Mabrey today! 😂 pic.twitter.com/pXYDrHsXh4
— Savanna Hamilton (@SavHamilton11) April 23, 2026
Julie Allemand (G): Floor general
The Euroleague Final Six MVP is also a candidate to break out in Toronto. Allemand is a pass-first point guard who offers good size for the position and is projected to handle a majority of the bring-up ball-handler duties for the Tempo. A disciplined guard — who led the league in assist-to-turnover ratio last season (min. 30 games played) — and will now be tasked with orchestrating a lot of what Brondello wants to accomplish with her pace-and-space scheme.
Nyara Sabally (F): Blossoming big
The younger Sabally sister has yet to feature prominently in the WNBA, but if she can stay healthy, Brondello is confident the fourth-year forward can make an impact. The veteran coach made a concerted effort to recruit Sabally to Toronto after coaching her in New York for three seasons, with hopes of seeing her take on a heightened role. In 10 games as a starter last season, the 26-year-old averaged 6.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.4 blocks on 52 per cent shooting.
Temi Fágbénlé (C): Interior vet
As one of the tallest and oldest players on the team, Fagbenle will undoubtedly be relied upon. Both as an anchor in the middle and as a veteran leader. The 33-year-old also brings unique perspective, after spending last season with a then-expansion Golden State Valkyries team that found a way to make the playoffs in Year 1. Fagbenle played a part in that, averaging career-bests of 7.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists. She shot over 60 per cent on her twos and ranked 11th in field-goal percentage among players who attempted at least 2.5 shots in the restricted area per game.
Kiki Rice (G): Top rookie
Taken sixth overall and with the first-ever entry draft selection by the Tempo, there’s justifiably a lot of hype surrounding Rice. The 22-year-old proved her prowess on both ends of the floor en route to winning a national title with UCLA, and has the makings of a legit two-way talent in the WNBA. How she develops as an off-ball player — leveraging what looked to be a burgeoning jump shot in college — will be key as ball-handling reps could be limited early on in a crowded backcourt. When she does get some reps to run the show, if the pre-season is any indication, Rice will only get better with every passing game.
Watched the game before bed, but wanted to put together a little something on Kiki Rice.
Much better driving game vs MIN compared to the opener vs CON, as it should've been.
Still some instances of killing her dribble too early, but that got much better as the game went on. pic.twitter.com/AxHlZJA0d7
— Nekias (Nuh-KAI-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) May 2, 2026
Isabelle Harrison (F): Scheme-familiar forward
One of the more experienced players on the roster and in Brondello’s system, Harrison brings eight years of reps in the WNBA. The forward spent last season as a bench player for the Liberty, when she averaged 4.9 points and 2.6 rebounds in 11 minutes per game. Given her familiarity with Brondello and the scheme she wants to run, Harrison could see an increased role when healthy, maybe even showing the form that earned her Most Improved Player of the Year votes back in 2017. Harrison will need to get healthy first, however, as she’s currently sidelined with a hand injury, considered day-to-day.
Lexi Held (G): Second-unit sparkplug
After a solid rookie season in the W last year, the 25-year-old could be in store for a big uptick in production given her versatility on and off the ball for a Tempo team that will need a consistent scoring punch off the bench — Brondello even tested out a late-game ATO play designed for Held toward the end of the Tempo’s pre-season opener against the Connecticut Sun. Held was Toronto’s best player through the exhibition schedule, averaging 13.0 points, 1.0 assists and 1.5 steals on 50 per cent shooting from the field and 54.5 per cent from beyond the arc.
Laura Juškaitė (W): Swiss-Army Knife
The Lithuanian rookie appears more than ready to make the transition to the W, if two pre-season games are any indication. Juskaite averaged 8.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.0 steals in 23 minutes per game. The Tempo gave her minutes both off the bench and as a starter, and I anticipate that fluidity will continue into the regular season. The words that may describe her game best are crafty and gritty, both of which should help her earn a consistent spot in the rotation.
María Conde (W): Other Swiss-Army Knife
Considered a top “prospect” finally ready and healthy to make her debut in the WNBA, the Spaniard is a do-it-all player on both ends of the floor. While she’s similar to Juskaite in that sense, Conde has shown real guard skills with the ball in her hands, to go with the size and strength to offer a post presence. The same goes for defence, as she’s spoken with pride about the growth she’s shown in adding versatility to that end of the floor. Conde has the talent to earn starter minutes relatively quickly and prove her game as plenty more than just hype.
Teonni Key (F): Prospect forward
Taken 22nd overall in the 2026 draft, the rookie offers an intriguing blend of versatility from the forward spot. She’s shown craft both as a screener and a post player, but hasn’t been afraid to step into wing duties when needed on both ends of the court. That she made the Opening Day roster after a pair of mild pre-season outings speaks to the faith Brondello and the Tempo have in Key’s abilities moving forward. She jumps to the pros after a quality senior season at Kentucky, where she averaged 11.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.3 blocks.
Kia Nurse (G): Stabalizing vet
The lone Canadian on the Tempo’s inaugural roster, Nurse has made it known she plans to be a “glue player” for the team. While the Hamilton, Ont. native has been anointed the face of the franchise, or at least the spokesperson, given her roots, Nurse will presumably play a modest role off the bench. Presumably similar to her time with the Chicago Sky last season, when Nurse averaged 7.2 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists as a 34 per cent shooter from beyond the arc. Her quick-trigger triples and composed style of play will certainly have opportunities to contribute for the Tempo, especially considering her familiarity with Brondello’s system, having been coached by the Aussie in Phoenix five years ago.
Mariella Fasoula (F): Depth forward
When asked about the addition of Fasoula to fill out the first of two developmental slots, Brondello said it was about adding “post depth.” The 28-year-old is coming off a training camp stint with the Valkyries, and could play an early role for the Tempo, who are facing a couple of injuries in the front-court with Sabally returning from concussion protocol and Harrison (hand) still sidelined. Brondello also noted Fasoula’s age and experience as a factor in adding the Greek forward, as she should be able to acclimate and be ready to contribute sooner rather than later.