It's been sort of a lame-duck season for the Connecticut Sun, but fans might have seen a preview of what the Houston Comets era could look like.
Head coach Rachid Meziane missed his team's 68-57 win over the Washington Mystics at Mohegan Sun Arena due to an illness. Associate head coach Roneeka Hodges assumed head coaching duties, and players ecstatically showered her, literally and figuratively, with praise after she earned her first win.
The Sun were still at the bottom of the standings at 4-15, and the bright spots in Friday night's win were the continued growth and development of Charlisse Leger-Walker
and Olivia Nelson-Ododa.
However, the real story was whether or not fans saw a test run of what Hodges as head coach could look like in the WNBA.
Hodges has an impressive resume
Meziane signed a four-year contract in 2024, but it wouldn't be surprising if ownership fired him over lackluster results or a desire for a fresh face when the franchise moves to Houston.
Hodges would be an ideal candidate. Not only because she would be an internal hire, but also because of her past association with the Comets as a player from 2005 to 2008. The 43-year-old played in the WNBA for a decade and played overseas for 14 years.
She's primarily served as an assistant during her transition into coaching in 2020. Her biggest accomplishment in the WNBA was being part of the New York Liberty staff that won the championship in 2024.
Hodges became the head coach of the Phantom in Unrivaled this year, and she was excellent in the role. She led Phantom to an 11-3 record, which earned her the Coach of the Year Award. Under Hodges, Kelsey Plum earned All-Unrivaled First Team honors, and Aliyah Boston earned All-Unrivaled Second Team honors and won the Defensive Player of the Year Award.
Mystics head coach Sydney Johnson acknowledged the work she's put in after Friday's game.
"... Her reputation precedes her," Johnson told Sports Illustrated's Deadria Clarke. "I can't tell you how happy I was for her, for a positive moment for her. Wish Rachid the best. Wish the Mystics would have won, but there's a bigger picture here. Super happy for Roneeka and the trajectory that her career is on, and the Sun are very blessed to have her."
Her playing and coaching experience make her a worthy head coaching candidate, but also, the fact that she is a queer Black woman should not be overlooked.
It's understandable for fans to want to see more representation for those on the sideline, not just on the court. There has been a lack of Black female head coaching hires and of hires from people in the LGBTQ+ community, despite the prominence of top players being Black, queer or both.
Out of 15 WNBA head coaches this year, seven are women, five of whom are part of the LGBTQ+ community, and two are Black men.
It would be meaningful for Hodges to not only represent Houston but also represent the millions of fans who want to see the best parts of the WNBA in the spotlight.
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