'Opportunity of a lifetime': New GM Wright Rogers ready to take charge of WNBA's Toronto Tempo

Monica Wright Rogers has merely put 10 toes on the ground in Toronto to begin her role as general manager of the WNBA's expansion Tempo, but she can already feel the support of the city behind her. 

Her hiring solidifies her as the 12th member of Canada's first-ever and only WNBA team franchise. 

"Once I stepped foot in this city — despite the snow — that excitement has exponentially increased in just feeling the appetite and excitement from fans and everyone in the sports world here, we have no shortage of support," Wright Rogers said in an interview with CBC Sports. 

Wright Rogers, 36, arrives on the Canadian basketball scene with an impressive resume behind her: seven seasons as a point guard in the WNBA, two championship titles with the Minnesota Lynx, and in 2023, she became assistant general manager for the Phoenix Mercury. 

Now, she hits the ground running with the Tempo, with the tasks lying immediately ahead of her include hiring a head coach and securing a roster of players for the first season in 2026.

While the San Antonio, Texas native didn't share details on any potential head-coaching candidates, she "feels good about where things are at," more than a year out from the first tip-off. 

"There's a lot of unknown with the future of this league, the upcoming CBA [Collective Bargaining Agreement], the unprecedented amount of free agents and just a lot of talent coming into this league from international ranks, the NCAA ranks and beyond," Wright Rogers said. 

Just ahead of the 2026 season, 21 league all stars will be free agents.

This includes Canada's Kia Nurse, back-to-back WNBA champion Kelsey Plum, and Las Vegas Ace star A'Ja Wilson, who was named tournament MVP at the Paris 2024 Olympics for her