The Toronto Tempo are stepping onto the WNBA stage with a bold, win-now mentality—and not everyone is convinced it’s the right move. Traditionally, expansion teams build through youth and patience, but the Tempo are flipping the script. The big question: Do they have the star power and depth to make Canada’s first WNBA team an immediate contender?

At the heart of this ambitious plan are two dynamic guards: Brittney Sykes and Marina Mabrey. Both signed for over $1 million, they form a legitimate "Big 2" that can light up the scoreboard. While they may not be household superstars, they’re proven stars with serious game. ESPN ranks Sykes at No. 28 and Mabrey at No. 31 on its Top 50 WNBA players list. For context, the other 2026 expansion team, the Portland Fire, has zero players on that list.

Sykes brings a gritty, two-way edge. She led Syracuse to the 2016 national championship game as the team’s third-leading scorer (10.3 PPG), but her game has evolved. The next year, she drained 57 threes at 39.3% and averaged 19.2 points. Drafted 7th overall in 2017, her 3-point shooting has been streaky in the pros, but she found her rhythm in 2026 at Unrivaled, hitting 2.1 threes per game at 40%. Defense is her calling card—she’s been chasing Defensive Player of the Year honors since her second WNBA season, finishing sixth, then second in 2021, and third in 2023. She’s earned multiple All-Defensive Team nods and can score in bunches, especially attacking the rim and drawing fouls. Her career-best scoring average (15.9 PPG) came in 2023 with the Washington Mystics.

Mabrey, meanwhile, wasn’t a top draft pick but has carved out a reputation as a fearless scorer. Together, this duo gives Toronto a chance to compete immediately—but the pressure is on. Can they deliver wins from day one, or will the Tempo’s win-now gamble fall short? The court will tell the story.