Though still just an exhibition, the Toronto Tempo’s first-ever game is only a week away, and Kiki Rice can’t wait.
Fresh off winning the national championship with UCLA, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft — and the Tempo’s first-ever draft selection — Rice has been getting acclimated to her new life in Toronto as training camp has recently gotten away.
Speaking to Sportsnet’s Blake Murphy on The Raptors Show Thursday, Rice seems confident in what she’ll bring to the table.
“I think that’s so big when you’re starting an expansion team,” the 22-year-old point guard said. “You want to build from the right direction, you want to build from the ground up, and you want to really lay a high-quality championship foundation, and I think I can bring my experience and my comfort in laying a really good foundation here.”
With Sandy Brondello at the helm of the Tempo, Toronto’s expected to be a tough-minded, defensive-focused squad in its inaugural season. Something that should suit Rice fine as a player known for her defensive chops.
“I pride myself on my ability to guard and defend, and I think that’s something that I really believe can translate over right away from Game 1,” she said. “I think just being aggressive, being really focused defensively and making my impact felt is something that I really want to take on, and I think defence is something that you have to set your mind to and with my ability, my length, my size and my athletic ability, that will handle the rest, but I’m definitely focused on defending and I think that’s something that you need in championship teams.”
Listed at five-foot-11, Rice features positional size and was seen picking the ball up full court at UCLA.
She’s excited to begin her professional journey in Toronto, mentioning she wants to get to know the city better, starting with a Thursday date with the rest of her Tempo teammates at the Toronto Raptors-Cleveland Cavaliers Game 3 first-round playoff contest.
“We’re going to go to the game on Thursday, I think most of the team is going to head there,” Rice said. “It’s going to be really cool to see that environment.”
A small taste of what could be in store for Rice and the Tempo’s future.
The Tempo play their first-ever exhibition game on April 29 against the Connecticut Sun at Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto. The team’s first-ever regular-season game will take place on May 8 against the Washington Mystics, also in Toronto.