“We are thrilled to welcome Rachid as the new head coach of the Connecticut Sun,” said General Manager Morgan Tuck, introducing the new head coach of the W team. Rachid Meziane is the first-ever head coach in the WNBA to be entirely trained outside the U.S.. What’s more? The former Belgian HC carries extensive coaching experience across French national and international teams.

Tuck complimented Rachid’s skill sets as a coach and said, “He brings a wealth of experience, passion, and a proven track record of success that will help elevate our players and team as a whole. Rachid’s dedication and commitment to growing women’s basketball, internationally and domestically, brings a unique perspective both on and off the court that aligns with the values and vision of our organization.”

Needless to say, this puts a lot of expectations on the new coach as he joins the team. With Stephanie White switching to the Indiana Fever for the 2025 season, Rachid has some big shoes to fill. “Being able to count on a long enough contract to build on is reassuring,” Rachid said.

“Of course, I’m taking the place of an American coach, so that puts additional pressure on me, but I don’t want to let that negative pressure get to me. I want to focus on my work, and Connecticut puts me in the best conditions to give the best of myself, and that’s the mindset I’m going to have,” a positive Rachid quips.

While we know that he signed a four-year contract with the Sun, who is Rachid Meziane really? What does he bring to the table? Let us understand the coach’s roots and glance into factors that shaped him as the head coach we know of today.

Where is Rachid Meziane from, and what is his nationality?

Rachid Meziane was born on February 10, 1980 in Clermont-Ferrand, France. He is a French national who grew up in the European country. Married to a former professional basketball player, Stephanie Meziane (Dubois), the couple has two kids together, a boy named Tinahel, and a daughter named Imahia. Moreover, Rachid and his family originally reside in Chereng, France.

Highly inspired by the “Dream Team” at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Rachid became curious about basketball. While details regarding his earlier life are highly private in nature, what we do know is that he had an interest in the game ever since the ’92 Olympics.

Despite following his father and uncles’ footsteps, he could not keep up with football. And though he initially played football with his brothers, this interest in basketball soon turned into a passion. To fulfil the passion, Rachid joined a local basketball club, AS Montferrand, where he began training young players. The spirit of basketball, coupled with his desire to build and develop a winning culture, is the primary factor that propelled him into the coach he is today.

What is Rachid Meziane’s ethnicity?

Born and brought up in a working class household in France, Rachid is ethnically a French basketball coach who has spent most of his coaching career training French national teams. He began his career in 2006 with Challes-les-Eaux as an assistant coach before joining Cavigal Nice in 2012. But he witnessed a career high during the 2023-24 season when he led the ESB Villeneuve-d’Ascq, a women’s basketball club, into their first national championship since 2017.

This move cemented the leadership prowess of the coach, as global leagues had their eyes on him. But Rachid moved on to Belgium national team as the head coach in 2023, where he was crowned Coach of the Year title. And his achievements did not go unnoticed. While the women’s club stopped him from joining a rich Turkish club, Mersin, that approached him in April 2023, seems like fate had other plans. So when WNBA came knocking in 2024, Rachid accepted the offer and packed up his belongings.

Is Rachid Meziane Christian or Muslim? 

There are no publicly available reports that clarify whether the Connecticut Sun’s head coach is Christian or Muslim. As someone who keeps his personal affairs private, there is little known information about his religious inclinations and beliefs. As an extremely hardworking coach, Rachid is known for teamwork and a principle that revolves around shared responsibilities in defense and offense positions.

“In purely basketball terms, I want the ball to circulate, with passing, movement, a good inside/outside alternation, and therefore to develop a real tactical culture as well. I’m not the type to rely on a single player, and I try to stay true to this principle of sharing,” Rachid said in an interview. The head coach whose only focus has been the hoops and training young women basketball athletes, it is safe to say that Rachid’s true faith lies in his passion for basketball.