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Marina Mabrey and Brittney Sykes have both played several seasons in various countries overseas. Settling down internationally with a new team amongst a new culture isn’t anything new to the pioneers of the WNBA’s expansion into the North. But the streets in downtown Toronto “are different,” Sykes says.
On top of getting used to the city’s gridlike road system, the persistent gusts of April wind were the first to welcome Slim and Mabrey to Canada, alongside an overwhelming outpouring of admiration, support and excitement from a country that’s been longing for the presence of professional women’s basketball, let alone two All-Star caliber players.
“I felt the love from the city. They’re all excited. Everyone has Tempo gear on. Everybody’s yelling out their car windows our names [and] Go Tempo! Giving food recommendations, coffee recommendations. So it’s been really welcoming,” Mabrey says.
“You step off the plane, and people are literally looking at you like, Hey, we’ve been waiting for you. For a year. For two years. Like, they’ve been waiting for a WNBA team to get here,” Slim adds. “The more the merrier, but we’re starting off with us right now.”
On April 10, it was announced that both Sykes and Mabrey had inked two-year deals with the W’s latest expansion franchise, nearing the max in Year 1 and forming the first million-dollar backcourt pairing under the League’s new collective bargaining agreement. Mabrey, selected by the Tempo in the seventh-ever expansion draft, spent the 2025 campaign averaging 14.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game in Connecticut. And Sykes arrived to suit up in the maroon and white via free agency following her first All-Star season split between the Washington Mystics and Seattle Storm. Together, they’re stitching the cultural fabric of an organization in real time, infusing the years of experience and veteran leadership they’ve amassed into the foundation of the Toronto Tempo.
On the third floor of the Hotel X in downtown Toronto, Slim and Mabrey have spent the past several hours running from station to station during the team’s media day. Every few minutes, the light from over Lake Ontario floods through the floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating their path to the next content moment. The images, clips and quotes captured will be broadcast all across 10 provinces and three territories. And despite the number of hours logged in the day, the sense of pride that accompanies each of their statements never fades.
“I think [I’m] just happy to be a part of a franchise that wants to build through the culture and kind of set the foundation for us to be a winning franchise and [be a] place where people want to come. They want to play here. They want to be part of the Tempo,” Marina says. “And having that support around us from the whole entire country is going to be huge for us. So I was just excited to be a part of it and definitely someone who’s going to help build it.”
With one of the W’s most potent scorers locked up through the draft, the Tempo turned its focus toward amplifying the competitive fire that Marina’s known for. They found it in a fellow New Jersey native who shares that same underdog mentality and holds four All-Defensive honors to her name. The pitch to play with the same player she grew up working out with on the East Coast had Brittney Sykes’ immediate attention.
“I make the joke like, Oh, man, I don’t have to guard her anymore. But at the same time, you come across different players,” Sykes says. “Well, for me, I've guarded plenty, right? But with Marina, just being able to pair up with her, the passion and tenacity that she had, I'm like, OK, Toronto. I see what you guys are doing here. I see what you guys want to do. And that enticed me. And then they come to me and they ask me. It’s a perfect opportunity for you to showcase your skills.”
The North is a platform for two of the W’s not so under the radar stars to showcase where their skills can lead a franchise. With years of experience in the face of adversity, Slim and Mabrey view it as a welcome challenge. From Sykes’ two torn ACLs in college to Mabrey battling through past organizational instability, each of the Tempo’s leaders has dealt with the experiences necessary to guide a first-year team, roster and franchise.
Throughout training camp and the first week of practices, they’ve employed a good cop, bad cop dynamic. Day by day, they’re playing off of each other’s energies. In addition to locking up 94 feet or nailing spot-up threes after a pindown, Slim and Mabrey are constantly analyzing the needs of their teammates.
“Who’s going to be the person to get on them? Who’s going to be the person to be like, Listen guys, it’s five days in. But also kind of give that reality check to everybody, like, This is what we want to accomplish. This is what we want the foundation to be. This is what we want our culture to be. And then we embody that,” Sykes says. “So it’s not really hard to kind of convey that message. They just kind of watch us and follow along.”
After spending their careers following the paths of other players, Mabrey and Slim find themselves in the roles of those they once supported. This is the next step in their careers, not just as hoopers, but as individuals, from playing roles for franchises to becoming franchise players. The only way to back it up is by winning.
“We've had all these years of experience being followers, and that's not a bad thing. In order to become a great leader, you have to be a really good follower,” Slim says. “So, I think we took our notes. We took our hits on the chin, and now we're in this position where we get to kind of throw some punches and show people, like, Yeah, this is what happens when you let us into this space.”
The idea of going above .500, even making the playoffs, isn’t far-fetched. The Tempo are well aware of the realities presented to them as an expansion team. Slim and Mabrey are focused on what they can control as everyone finds their footing. But that doesn’t mean success can’t be the end goal.
The duo references the postseason run by the Golden State Valkyries last year, dispelling the notion that an expansion team isn’t built to compete right away. The duo are setting that same standard, but also taking it on as their personal responsibility. They want the pressure of winning to fall on them, so the team as a whole can focus on the process and meeting the standards of a solid foundation.
Are they following through on the unspoken rule of finishing a missed shot in a 5-on-0 drill? Are they showing up on time? Are they talking even when they’re tired? Are they truly being the best defensive team they can be?
“She's the enforcer in practice,” Slim says of Marina. “Every time we get in the huddle, we're always reminded we want to be top four, top three in defense. Top four, top three in offense, that kind of thing. Like I said, we bounce off of each other. There are some days where I'm getting on ’em on particular details, but all in all, it's to create that type of culture [where] everything matters, right?”
Over 500 miles away from where they first started to craft their games in the Garden State, the connection that’s now on display in Toronto has been years in the making. From their New Jersey roots to their ultra-competitive matchups over the past several seasons, the two have built a mutual respect for each other. Iron’s been sharpening iron for years. Except now the result is being concentrated in the same direction.
“I'm really excited to see the outcome of us being on the same court because I think we are two of probably the most, like, ‘don't look forward to’ kind of players,” Slim says. “There are others in the League, but there's no way we're not on that list. Probably top two. Me, obviously, defense, offense. But then it's like, you got to deal with her on offense and defense as well. Like, she don't give herself enough credit for her defense. She's actually good at defense. It's just got a little more help.”
“A lot more help, yeah,” Marina says with a laugh. “We're a little rage baby over here. It’s good though.”
“I finish. She might start [it]. I’ll finish it,” Slim adds. “We’ll figure out the timing on that.”
What Slim does well helps Marina excel, and vice versa. The two-time steals champ is about to rack up a whole lot of cookies, and in turn, provide a barrage of transition threes for Mabrey. In the open floor, the Notre Dame alum finds teammates within the smallest of windows, and Sykes happens to be one of the League’s best at finishing around the cup.
The groundwork for the first season in Tempo history has been well underway. The offense is finding a rhythm, off-court chemistry is growing and the streets downtown are becoming less daunting to navigate. A culture is starting to take shape on the University of Toronto’s campus while the Tempo’s state-of-the-art practice facility is being constructed. Alongside the support of the city, the country and the fans who’ve been packing out Coca-Cola Coliseum, the leaders of the Tempo have a message.
“I think since it's a new franchise, we need that support, because there's going to be ups and downs,” Mabrey says. “We're not going to win every single game, but we do know that, especially with both of us on the team, we're always going to come out and compete and play as hard as we possibly can. And we'll bring everybody else to do that, that's for sure.”
“When you get to Coca-Cola Coliseum, I want everybody to know this is going to be a very tough environment to play in,” Mabrey continues. “Don't underestimate going to Toronto, because it's not going to be easy to come out of there with a win.”
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