Toronto Tempo coach Sandy Brondello said drafting UCLA star Kiki Rice felt like “really lucky” timing—then watched Rice adjust fast. In her first WNBA games, Rice has averaged 7.7 points and 1.3 assists in 20 minutes, starting as a bench option behind Julie Al
Kiki Rice walked into the moment like she already belonged there.
In Toronto Tempo practice, she dribbled to the hoop, deked, and lifted a shot over the practice squad—an easy release, ombre blue-and-burgundy nails snapping the ball into the basket like a reminder. It was the kind of polish that doesn’t usually show up overnight.
Just over a month earlier and roughly 10 miles away. Rice had been holding up the NCAA championship trophy at Pauley Pavilion. She was starring for UCLA and leading the Bruins to their first NCAA national title during her fourth college season. That jump—from champagne celebrations to pro basketball in a new uniform—happened fast. On April 14. Rice became the first college pick for the expansion Toronto Tempo. chosen in the WNBA draft as one of six Bruins selected.
“ We got really lucky getting her in the draft,” Tempo coach Sandy Brondello said. “She hasn’t disappointed.”
Rice has backed up starting point guard Julie Allemand since joining the Tempo, coming off the bench in her first two WNBA games. In that stretch, she has averaged 7.7 points and 1.3 assists in 20 minutes per game.
“There’s definitely a lot of adjustments and getting used to what it is like inside this level,” Rice said on Friday. “But I’m with great vets, really great coaches, and I’m really enjoying the play as a pro.”
The path to that “pro” adjustment was built on production and a standout senior season. Selected No. 6 in this year’s WNBA draft, Rice elevated her stock at UCLA with her best college year. She finished her senior season averaging 14.9 points per game. along with 5.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists. and she was named Big Ten tournament MVP.
Before the NCAA tournament, WNBA scouts pointed to her defensive prowess and willingness to charge to the basket as reasons she emerged as an early first-round candidate.
Brondello framed the fit in familiar terms—maturity, coaching, and a mindset already trained for the next level. “She stays confident in who she is, and that’s what we just pour into her,” Brondello said. “She comes from a really successful, you know, college program in UCLA. Cori [Close] is a great coach, and you know, pushed her hard for greatness. So she’s very mature. She knows that there’s another level that she can go to. She’s going to work really hard to get there.”.
If the timeline still feels unreal, Rice herself said she understands why. She went through the WNBA rookie gauntlet—going from the NCAA championship game to the draft within a week, then straight into Toronto’s training camp.
“It’s something we all go through, it’s the same for all the rookies,” Rice said. “I feel like I haven’t slept a ton the past few weeks. It’s definitely not easy, it happens very quickly, but I am very grateful to be in the position.”
Her jump didn’t just mean new teammates. It also meant walking back into rooms where opponents already knew her game.
Sparks coach Lynne Roberts. who coached against Rice during her first two UCLA seasons while Roberts was head coach at Utah. believes the next step is coming. On Friday, Roberts said she had watched Rice’s habits evolve. “I think she’s going to do well with Sandy in her system,” Roberts said. “I saw over the course of her four years … her decision making, you know, improve and get better, which is natural, and her outside shot get more comfortable. … She’s going to be a good player to watch.”.
Toronto’s first game made that familiarity unavoidable. Rice faced her old teammates Lauren Betts and Angela Dugalic with the Washington Mystics on May 8. The trio hugged at center court in Toronto. On the scoreboard, Rice had one assist and no points in 18 minutes during the loss.
Then, the learning curve continued—quickly.
The franchise’s first win came against the Seattle Storm on Wednesday. Rice bounced back with 12 points and one assist in 21 minutes.
Part of the adjustment, Rice said, is recognizing how much being surrounded by professionals changes the day-to-day work. “Playing with five other pros, you got the advantage of really competitive practices,” Rice said of her time at UCLA. “I can’t say enough about that. [The draft] was an incredible moment, something that’s very special for all of us. We didn’t do it alone. and to be able to share it with some of my closest friends. and to hear everyone’s name. be called to see everyone walk across the stage. be able to celebrate together. enjoy the moment. was special.”.
This weekend brought a different kind of reunion—UCLA coaches in attendance Friday night as Rice played the Sparks again. Rice scored 11 points and added two assists in 21 minutes during a loss to Los Angeles. The Tempo rallied to within one possession in the final minute and set up a rematch on Sunday.
In a league where rookies can vanish under the speed, the physicality, and the pressure, Toronto’s first draft pick is doing the opposite: showing up—on the court, in the numbers, and in the quiet confidence that comes after a sprint from NCAA glory into a new pro life.
Kiki Rice Toronto Tempo WNBA draft UCLA Bruins Sandy Brondello Julie Allemand Lynne Roberts Washington Mystics Seattle Storm Los Angeles Sparks expansion franchise