The WNBA made headlines this past year with the announcement of three new expansion teams set to enter the league in the coming years. While the Golden State Valkyries will begin play in 2025, the Toronto and Portland franchises are set to debut in the 2026 season. Though Portland has yet to reveal its team name, the Toronto franchise will be called the Tempo, a name that was unintentionally leaked online.
On Wednesday, the Tempo made history by announcing their first general manager—former WNBA player Monica Wright Rogers, as reported by Alexa Philippou of ESPN.
Monica Wright Rogers Takes the Helm
As general manager, Wright Rogers will be responsible for assembling a competitive roster and building the Tempo into a contending franchise. Fortunately for Toronto, she brings a wealth of experience and championship pedigree to the role.
Wright Rogers played seven seasons in the WNBA, spending six of them with the Minnesota Lynx during their dynasty years. She was a key contributor off the bench for the Lynx and played a role in the team’s championship runs in 2011 and 2013.
Before joining the Tempo, she served as the assistant general manager of the Phoenix Mercury for the past two seasons.
Monica Wright Rogers’ WNBA Career
Wright Rogers was selected by the Minnesota Lynx with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2010 WNBA Draft. She made an immediate impact in her rookie season, averaging 11.1 points per game and ranking among the team’s top five scorers. She played alongside Hall of Fame talents such as Seimone Augustus, Lindsay Whalen, and Rebekkah Brunson.
During the Lynx’s 2013 championship season, Wright Rogers finished second in voting for both the Most Improved Player and Sixth Player of the Year awards.
In 2015, she was traded to the Seattle Storm but was unable to make her debut due to a knee injury that kept her sidelined for the season. She returned to play in 2016, appearing in 16 games, but did not have a major impact. That season would ultimately be her last in the WNBA.
Transition to Coaching and Front Office
Following the conclusion of her playing career, Wright Rogers transitioned into coaching. She spent one season as an assistant coach at Liberty before joining the coaching staff at Virginia.
While still in the WNBA, she was once engaged to NBA star Kevin Durant, though the two eventually parted ways. She also represented Team USA at the FIBA U19 World Championship in 2007.
Now, as the general manager of the Toronto Tempo, Wright Rogers takes on a new challenge—building a franchise from the ground up and leading them into their first season in the WNBA.
