Ex-WNBA All-Star Takes Aim at Connecticut Sun Coach After Blowout Loss vs Lynx

The Connecticut Sun and first-year head coach Rachid Meziane endured a devastating 102-63 loss to the Minnesota Lynx, marking their ninth consecutive defeat and dropping their season record to 2-15. The team currently ranks last in the WNBA with the league's worst offense (averaging 71.1 points per game) and worst defense (allowing 88.8 points per game).

Despite expectations of a rebuilding year after losing core players like Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner, the Sun's drastic decline—just one season after nearly reaching the WNBA Finals—has been startling. Significant blame has fallen on Meziane, a first-time WNBA coach previously active in France and with Belgium's national team.

Former Sun player and WNBA All-Star Kelsey Bone publicly criticized Meziane on social media, citing her experience under him at French club Villeneuve-d'Ascq. She demanded accountability from Sun management, questioning the hiring process and stating, "Whoever hired him needs to be asked why they did that and what research was done."

Bone further labeled Meziane as "BY FAR the worst coach" in her 12-year professional career, criticizing his inability to lead effectively. She described his coaching style as "lackluster and passive," lacking the aggression and assertiveness needed to rally a team, which she attributed to deficient leadership and inexperience.

Though Bone and Meziane overlapped only briefly in France (June to December 2024), her firsthand critique carries weight. Her assessment contrasts starkly with fan perspectives, highlighting concerns about Meziane's leadership qualities during the Sun's struggles.

While acknowledging Meziane inherited a gutted roster with low expectations, the Sun's extreme underperformance remains difficult to accept. The team faces a critical week of practice before hosting the Las Vegas Aces on July 6th, aiming to end their nine-game losing streak.