Toronto Tempo Select Kiki Rice Sixth Overall in 2026 WNBA Draft.

The Toronto Tempo made their first-ever WNBA Draft selection by choosing Kiki Rice from UCLA as the sixth overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft. This moment marks a historic milestone for Canada's new WNBA franchise. Rice, a senior guard, had an exceptional season with the UCLA Bruins, averaging 14.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. Her shooting stats were also impressive, with a career-high 49% field goal percentage, 38.5% from three-point range, and 90.2% from the free-throw line. Rice played a pivotal role in leading UCLA to a national title, earning All-American honors for the 2025-26 season, along with multiple accolades, including Big Ten All-Defensive Team and Big Ten Tournament MVP. In a post-draft interview with ESPN’s Holly Rowe, Rice expressed her excitement and pride, saying, “This is so special… I'm just so proud of this group.” Rice’s addition to the Tempo strengthens their guard lineup, which already includes veterans Marina Mabrey and Julie Allemand, as well as free-agent signing Brittney Sykes.

Despite having never been to Toronto, Rice looks forward to joining the Tempo. "I know it's going to be a great time," she said. Along with Rice, the Tempo made additional picks in the 2026 Draft, selecting forwards Teonni Key (No. 22) and Saffron Shiels (No. 26) in the second round, and guard Charlise Dunn (No. 36) in the third.