The Connecticut Sun introduced Friday morning that Roneeka Hodges, who served as an assistant coach on the New York Liberty from 2022 to 2024, has been employed as Rachid Meziane‘s new assistant coach.
Meziane, the Solar’s new coach, is a famend French skilled basketball coach who doesn’t have direct WNBA expertise. However, Hodges’s direct expertise with the Liberty — together with serving to the franchise to its first-ever franchise in 2024 — ought to assist increase the employees.
Earlier than teaching, Hodges loved a protracted profession within the WNBA. She was chosen 15th general within the 2005 WNBA Draft by the Houston Comets. Her 10-year profession additionally included stints with the Minnesota Lynx, San Antonio Silver Stars, Indiana Fever, Tulsa Shock, and Atlanta Dream. After retiring from the WNBA, she additionally served as a collegiate assistant with Colgate College and Previous Dominion College earlier than transitioning again to the WNBA.
The worth of WNBA assistants having league expertise
The Solar rent continues a pattern amongst WNBA groups to enhance a brand new head coach with an assistant who has extra direct WNBA expertise.
For instance, in November, the Atlanta Dream formally employed Florida Golf Coast College’s head coach, Karl Smesko, to take over head teaching duties from Tanisha Wright. (Wright can be an assistant head coach on the Chicago Sky subsequent season). Smesko was thought-about one in all girls’s faculty basketball’s prime coaches, however he didn’t have direct WNBA teaching expertise.
His two new assistants — LaToya Sanders and Brandi Poole — do have intensive WNBA expertise. Sanders was an assistant coach on the Washington Mystics for 3 years, and earlier than that she performed within the WNBA for 7 years, successful a championship with the Mystics in 2019. Poole was an assistant coach on the Connecticut Solar for 5 years.
Different groups — just like the Los Angeles Sparks, who equally employed Lynne Roberts out of collegiate teaching — might equally go within the path of hiring assistant coaches with WNBA expertise to bolster a brand new teaching employees.
In an official assertion, Rachid Meziane acknowledged the direct expertise that Hodges may carry to the desk.
“Having an skilled former participant like Roneeka on employees can be an important asset to the Solar,” stated Meziane. “She brings ardour for the sport, a successful spirit, and an understanding of what it takes to be an important coach. I’m wanting ahead to working alongside her in Connecticut and persevering with to develop collectively.”
Hodges expressed her pleasure for the chance.
“I’m excited to start this new journey with Coach Meziane and the Solar group,” stated Hodges. “I look ahead to sharing my data of the sport and experiences as we proceed to develop a successful tradition. I’m grateful for the chance and looking out ahead to continued success.”
