The WNBA offseason is in full swing with plenty of roster moves and free agency signings across the league, and the activity includes two former players from the Syracuse Orange women’s basketball team.
Coincidentally, the duo of alumnae is also joining two of the newest franchises in The W.
Guard Brittney Sykes is joining the Toronto Tempo on a multi-year contract, the team recently announced. Sykes is coming off her first WNBA All-Star nod.
She averaged 14.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and
1.2 steals in 30.6 minutes per game across 39 contests with the Washington Mystics and Seattle Storm.
Most notably, Sykes will be part of an intriguing backcourt. The former Syracuse star and seventh overall pick in 2017 is also joining Marina Mabrey, who was picked in the recent expansion draft, in Toronto.
Sykes will be entering her 10th season in the WNBA.
The other new WNBA expansion team, the Portland Fire, is also adding a former player from the Orange.
The Fire selected forward Emily Engstler in the expansion draft. Engstler is coming off a two-year stint with Washington. She averaged 4.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 13.6 minutes per game across 72 games with the Mystics.
Engstler is joining her fourth team in five years during her time in the league.
Sykes, Engstler and the rest of the league will begin the new WNBA season starting in May.
