Kiki Rice Impresses In Toronto Tempo’s Historic WNBA Win Against Seattle Storm

The Toronto Tempo relied on the experienced stars in its expansion draft, and the team nearly delivered a perfect start for the season. Although they fell short against the Mystics, they did not have to wait much longer for their first win of the season, as Marina Mabrey, Brittney Sykes, and Kiki Rice starred in an incredible victory.

Although it was a team effort on the defensive end and vets took over the proceedings on the offense, the 2026 rookie stood out with her impressive stats in the game.

Kiki Rice Makes Strong Statement During Win Over Seattle Storm

UCLA’s national championship win was one of the historic moments for the program. Playing a key role in the program’s development and ultimately a championship, the 22-year-old guard is once again making news for her poised, mature gameplay.

Playing just 20 minutes in the game, the rookie scored 12 points with over 55% shooting from the floor. She even collected two rebounds and made an assist in the game to help the team win its first game.

Kiki Rice today vs the Seattle Storm:

12 PTS
2 REB
1 AST
0 TO
5-9 FG (55.5%)
3-3 FT (100%)
21 MIN

in the Toronto Tempo’s first ever win! pic.twitter.com/4p0mS06b78

— KikiRiceMuse (@KikiRiceMuse) May 14, 2026

Although Marbrey’s 26 points or Sykes’ ability to draw the fouls make the headlines, Rice slowly created a place for herself in the roster despite playing in just two games for the Tempo team.

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Her name might come up late in the rookie of the year award discussions, but the player, who has such performances, will certainly be among the top five players for the accolade.

Kiki Rice Could Be In Rookie Of The Year Conversation

The Rookie of the Year accolade in the last four seasons was pretty straightforward, with top picks dominating the season among the new entrants. The 2026 season holds different standards altogether, with multiple stars proving to be the ‘difference makers’ for their respective sides.

Selected sixth overall by the expansion Toronto Tempo, Rice offers an immediate high-floor impact, having improved her efficiency to over 50% from the field and roughly 37% from three-point range during her senior year. Her ability to facilitate, secure defensive rebounds, and score at all three levels makes her a versatile asset for a new franchise seeking leadership.

That's how Kiki does it🙂‍↕️ 🤩 pic.twitter.com/RXH2Yy1YyW

— Toronto Tempo (@TempoBasketball) April 29, 2026

While she faces intense competition from high-level lottery picks, Rice’s poise and championship pedigree, like UCLA teammate Gabriela Jaquez’s, provide a solid foundation for top-tier production.

However, a WNBA analyst sees Georgia Amoore as a dark horse in the ROY competition, and also the Tempo player must contend with fellow rookies like Olivia Miles of the Minnesota Lynx, a generational passer who is a strong contender, and Flau’jae Johnson of the Seattle Storm, whose elite two-way play and scoring ability make her a dangerous ROY challenger.