A new city, a new identity, and a fresh opportunity to rebuild. The Connecticut Sun will become the Houston Comets ahead of the 2027 WNBA season. But despite the scale of the organizational transformation, very little of that change will extend to the sideline.
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As shared by USA TODAY’s Danielle Lerner, Rachid Meziane is set to remain at the helm of the franchise as it prepares for its highly anticipated move. Despite the relocation to Texas and the revival of one of the W’s most iconic identities, the team’s leadership has decided not to start afresh on the coaching front.
And yes, the team’s 2026 performance does give an impression that a change might be necessary. The Sun finished the regular season second-to-last in the standings with an 11-33 record. That was the exact same record they posted in 2025, Meziane’s first season in charge, but he remained head coach.
Perhaps those results are viewed through the lens of a controlled, intentional rebuild rather than a coaching failure. Meziane did not inherit a championship contender and watch it fall apart. They hired him ahead of the 2025 season just as the organization traded away or lost its entire veteran core, including Alyssa Thomas, DeWanna Bonner, and DiJonai Carrington, in order to start from scratch.
Seeing that, the back-to-back 11-33 seasons were not entirely unexpected. It may even have been a deliberate positioning move to land a franchise-altering star, as the team now holds the joint-highest odds, alongside Toronto, to secure the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 WNBA Draft, putting them in prime position to select a generational talent like JuJu Watkins.
This continuity in retaining head coach Rachid Meziane also extends to the front office. General manager Morgan Tuck, who oversaw these difficult seasons, will also remain in her position, and team president Jennifer Rizzotti will transition to Houston as well. According to Rockets president of business operations Gretchen Sheirr, the idea is to bring the existing basketball infrastructure and culture from Connecticut while building an entirely new business operation in Houston.
“The product, the players, that infrastructure, the culture that they built, the young talent, all of that is coming from Connecticut. But we are building a business from scratch,” Sheirr said. “So it’s a combination of relocation, expansion, and then, when you have this legacy and dynasty, that’s part of our messaging and the excitement.”
This transition began in earnest when Tilman Fertitta, owner of the NBA’s Rockets, agreed to buy the Connecticut Sun for a record-breaking $300 million to relocate the franchise to Texas. The WNBA and NBA Boards of Governors unanimously approved the sale and relocation. However, out of respect for the fans in New England, the league mandated that the team play out the entire 2026 season as the Connecticut Sun before any rebranding could take place.
While basketball fans are happy to see the Comets’ identity resurrected, the loyal fanbase in New England is facing a heartbreaking loss. The Sun spent 23 years at Mohegan Sun Arena, building one of the most passionate and dedicated communities in the WNBA.
“Bittersweet”: GM Morgan Tuck Opens Up on Houston Comets Relocation as She Sets 2027 WNBA Playoff Target
With most of the fans left behind in Connecticut, leaving is a heartbreaking prospect for general manager Morgan Tuck, who has been with the Sun organization since 2021, and for team president Jennifer Rizzotti. But it is also an opportunity to build something new.
And so, for Tuck, the relocation is understandably “bittersweet.” Team president Rizzotti also acknowledged those mixed emotions.
“The best way for me to have handled that was to keep it completely separate and understand that I could feel a sadness and a disappointment and a nostalgia for what the Connecticut Sun has meant to the state,” Rizzotti said. “But also an excitement and a feeling of opportunity to move forward with Morgan and crew to continue to build something special.”
As Tuck shared, the goal now is to take the next step and set the franchise on course for the playoffs in 2027.
“We were able to shape our young core a little bit more, and so now we’re looking at, how do we bring in a few pieces that can really lead this young core that we have and help us take that next step?” Tuck said. “It’s just really coincided in a way with Houston and going through a transition at the same time, but I’m really proud that we’ve stuck to our vision so far.”
Whether retaining the same leadership group that delivered back-to-back 11-33 seasons was the right decision is something only time will tell. For now, the Comets are betting on continuity, a young core, and a franchise-changing draft pick to carry them into their new home.