It’s been a big year for Kiki Rice.
The Toronto Tempo’s first-ever draft pick (No. 6 in the 2026 WNBA draft) won a national championship with the UCLA Bruins in April, was drafted by the league’s first international franchise just over a week later, and then immediately moved to a new country.
“I think [my rookie year has] gone by pretty fast, honestly,” Rice – whose given name is Kira but goes exclusively by Kiki – told TSN of what has surprised her about her first WNBA season. “That’s probably the biggest thing. Obviously, I missed time, but I still feel like the fact that we have less than 15 games left in the entire year is pretty crazy.”
Rice, who was born in San Francisco but spent a lot of her childhood in Washington, D.C., was quickly thrust into a big role on an ever-changing expansion team. Within her first month as a professional, the 22-year-old was a regular starter and in the Rookie of the Year conversation.
Her momentum came to a screeching halt on June 3 when she suffered a Grade 3 ankle sprain near the end of the Tempo’s game against the New York Liberty. The point guard ended up missing eight weeks recovering and made her return for the Tempo’s July 28 game against the Minnesota Lynx.
“It’s a bit difficult when you miss that much time,” Rice said of the process of re-integrating into the lineup. “I was around; I was in practice some days.
“I’m just kind of finding my flow, finding my groove. I feel like each game I’ve gotten a little bit more comfortable in different areas. I feel pretty good right now.”
The injury forced Rice to sit out of the Tempo’s two-game Montreal series. The second game in Montreal on July 12 was the last time the team was able to get a win – a heated contest against the Liberty.
Now, Rice will finally get the chance to play for a bigger Canadian audience as the team heads to Vancouver for two games, on Aug. 21 and 23. The Tempo will face the Portland Fire and Las Vegas Aces out west, two hot teams that are expected to draw crowds to Rogers Arena.
“I was sad I couldn’t play Montreal. It was a really crazy environment, really fun,” Rice said. “I’ve heard a ton of incredible things about Vancouver, and so I’m just excited to get out there. I heard it’s very pretty, and we’ll have a few days, so I’ll get to see a little bit of that part of the country.”
For a player who has technically been in-season since November of 2025, the eight weeks of recovery gave Rice some time to rest her mind and body.
Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello encouraged her rookie to take advantage of that at the beginning of her recovery, but to still continue her development process off the court.
“Just trying to figure out ways to get better, even if it’s not exactly on the court,” Rice recalls of the lessons she learned in that eight-week stretch. “Whether that’s watching film, picking up on tendencies of different players in this league, and seeing the outside perspective.”
Even during this long rookie-year stretch, something all WNBA rookies who come out of college have experienced as the season starts just weeks after the NCAA season ends, Rice hasn’t thought too much about her upcoming off-season (and break).
While the Tempo are currently on a 12-game losing streak and have been eliminated from playoff contention, there is still a lot for a rookie like Rice to gain before the season ends.
“I’m still pretty locked in right now. We still have a lot of time, we have a lot to accomplish for the rest of the season,” Rice said, as the team focuses on development down the stretch. “It will be nice to have a break after a really long year, but right now, I’m all 10 toes down focused on the rest of the season.”
The Tempo will likely put her in positions to continue growing her on-court confidence and build chemistry with other young players.
“I’m just trying to really maximize each time I’m on the court,” Rice said of her goals for the rest of the season. “I want to continue to read the defence better, lead in different ways, and play at a high level. Regardless of whether we’re winning games or not, it’s about having that winning culture, and you’ll see results eventually from that. If we can continue to work on that, the results will come in the years to come.”
Despite only playing 19 games so far, Rice is still a candidate to make the WNBA’s All-Rookie Team at the end of the season. As of Aug. 20, Rice’s 11.6 points per game rank fifth league-wide among rookies. She also ranks fifth among rookies in efficiency rating (16.1) and second in both free-throw attempts (3.8) and free throws made (3.3) per game.
“We pour a lot of confidence into Kiki,” Brondello said at a recent practice. “I get mad at her if she doesn’t shoot. Her ability to get downhill, to be physical, to shoot the three – It’s about growth. She’s a young player that’s going to keep getting better and better.”
“I think she’s always been a pro, to be quite honest,” Brondello continued. “Coming from the UCLA program, her family values, just the kind of person that she is. She’s very ambitious, hardworking, and a great teammate. She wants to be great, and she knows how to become great.”
It’s been a lot to adjust to in a short period of time for Rice, who said that there are a lot of differences between playing in college and being a professional.
She’s mentioned a few times throughout the year how nice it is to just focus on basketball and not have to also balance her schoolwork. She also sees a lot of differences between her new coach in Brondello, and her college coach, Cori Close.
“Both are really great coaches, but very different people and personalities. I’ve really enjoyed being coached by both of them,” Rice said of Brondello and Close.
“Both of them connect with their players, which is something that I value.
“It’s a little bit different at this level because it’s just more professional. Cori was like a second mom to us. Sandy’s is super cool, she’s chill, and she’s really smart. I mean, I think she’s a really high basketball IQ, and I’m taking everything that I can from her and soaking up all that basketball knowledge.”
For someone who had never been to Toronto before April, Rice has also spent time integrating herself into the city she will call home for the next several years.
“I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how nice it is here. I really, really like it,” Rice said of Toronto. “There’s a lot to do, a lot of good restaurants. I like the vibe; the weather has been good. I’m sad we missed Caribana weekend.”
She’s also been exploring the city, saying she frequents Ossington and King streets, and has found restaurants and coffee shops she finds herself going back to again and again. On the other side, Toronto has fully embraced their young franchise star.
“That’s definitely been one of the biggest highlights of the entire season,” Rice said of the fan reception she’s received since draft night. “The fans show up and they’re loud. They love us, and that’s something that always brings a smile to me. This is the best fan base by far that I’ve ever played for.
“The games, the environment is so fun – even though it’s been a tough stretch recently, and we haven’t won a lot of games. That unrelenting support is something that you really value as an athlete. It makes us want to continue to come back, get better, and win for them.”
Tempo fans have already given the rookie a nickname: Kiki Rice and Peas, a fun twist on a popular Caribbean dish to signify how Rice “cooks” on the court. After the name started spreading online, the Tempo content team even used it in a video highlighting Rice’s play.
“I saw a video on Instagram, it’s cool,” Rice laughed about her moniker. “I mean, that’s a new one for me, and it’s very funny. Very Toronto.”
