Tempo begin building inaugural roster with selections including UFA Marina Mabrey, Nyara Sabally, and Julie Allemand

April 3, 2026 [TORONTO, ON] – The Toronto Tempo took the first step toward building the franchise’s inaugural roster today, selecting 11 players in the 2026 Tempo Expansion Draft presented by Instacart.

One of two new franchises set to join the league, and the first to call Canada home, the Tempo selected players from a league-designated pool of available players, marking a major milestone ahead of the team’s inaugural season, which tips off in May. 

“Today is an important step in building the foundation of the Toronto Tempo,” said Monica Wright Rogers, General Manager, Toronto Tempo. “Our goal was to construct a roster that reflects the style of play and culture we want to establish — one that balances competitiveness with long-term flexibility, and features players who bring versatility, toughness, and winning experience. This group gives us the ability to compete from day one while continuing to build, and embraces the opportunity to help shape something new in a new country as Canada’s first WNBA team.”

The list of players selected includes Marina Mabrey (Connecticut Sun), Nikolina Milic (Connecticut Sun), María Conde (Golden State Valkyries), Kristy Wallace (Indiana Fever), Aaliyah Nye (Las Vegas Aces), Julie Allemand (Las Angeles Sparks), Maria Kliundikova (Minnesota Lynx), Adja Kane (New York Liberty), Nyara Sabally (New York Liberty), Lexi Held (Phoenix Mercury), and Kitija Laksa (Phoenix Mercury). As the result of a trade earlier this week, the Tempo passed on selecting a player from the Chicago Sky, and did not select players from the Seattle Storm, Washington Mystics, Atlanta Dream, and Dallas Wings.

The Tempo’s selections include two former WNBA champions (Sabally, Nye). The picks also reflect the league’s global reach, with seven international players representing Spain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Australia, Belgium, Germany, Russia, France and Latvia. Together, the group brings a blend of championship experience, international competition at the highest level, and positional versatility as the Tempo begin building their identity in the WNBA.

Under Expansion Draft rules, each of the league’s 13 teams was permitted to protect up to five players. The Tempo were eligible to select up to two players from each team, acquiring either the player’s contract or negotiating rights. If a selected player was not signed for the 2026 season, Toronto retains the same rights previously held by that player’s former team.

The Tempo were also permitted to select one player eligible to become an unrestricted free agent following the 2026 season, provided the player had not previously two or more seasons under a Core Player contract.

With the Expansion Draft complete, the Tempo will now turn their attention to free agency and the Entry Draft presented by TurboTax on April 13, where the team holds picks 6, 22, 26, and 36.

The results of the Tempo Expansion Draft presented by Instacart are as follows:

Selections by Toronto Tempo from 2026 Expansion Draft presented by Instacart

Player	Former Team	Pos	Ht	Yrs	College / Country
Marina Mabrey	Connecticut Sun	W	5-11	6	Notre Dame / USA
Nikolina Milic	Connecticut Sun	C	6-2	3	Bosnia and Herzegovina
María Conde	Golden State Valkyries	F	6-1	Rookie	Florida State / Spain
Kristy Wallace	Indiana Fever	G	5-11	4	Baylor / Australia
Aaliyah Nye	Las Vegas Aces	G-F	6-0	Rookie	Alabama / USA
Julie Allemand	Los Angeles Sparks	G	5-8	2	Castors Braine / Belgium
Maria Kliundikova	Minnesota Lynx	F	6-4	2	Dynamo Kursk / Russia
Adja Kane	New York Liberty	C	6-3	Rookie	France
Nyara Sabally	New York Liberty	C	6-5	2	Oregon / USA
Lexi Held	Phoenix Mercury	G	5-10	Rookie	DePaul / USA
Kitija Laksa	Phoenix Mercury	G	6-1	Rookie	South Florida / Latvia

About Toronto Tempo

In May 2024, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) announced its expansion into Canada by awarding Toronto an expansion team, the league’s first outside the United States. The new team, owned by Kilmer Sports Ventures, will begin play in the 2026 season as the WNBA’s 14th franchise. Sephora Canada and CIBC are the team’s first announced founding partners. Larry Tanenbaum, Chairman of Kilmer Sports Ventures and a 30-year veteran of building championship-caliber teams, is also Chairman of the NBA Board of Governors and Chairman Emeritus of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, which owns the NBA’s Toronto Raptors, NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs, MLS’ Toronto FC and other professional sports franchises. Under his leadership, the Raptors won their first NBA championship in 2019.

Related News

Toronto Tempo Select 11 Players in 2026 Tempo Expansion Draft

Toronto Tempo to Tip Off Inaugural 2026 Season May 8 at Coca-Cola Coliseum

Quebec Sports Icons Geoff Molson and France Margaret Bélanger Join Toronto Tempo Ownership Group

Sephora Canada Makes History as First Founding Partner of the Toronto Tempo