The Toronto Tempo, Canada’s only WNBA franchise, introduced two new official mascots this week, and one of them is already making waves for reasons that have little to do with basketball.
During halftime of Tuesday night’s game against the Indiana Fever, the Tempo debuted Dez the Snapping Turtle and Dot the Arctic Hare. The timing was notable: Fever star Sophie Cunningham has become one of the league’s most vocal critics of biological males competing in women’s sports, putting the spotlight on the team’s choice of a mascot with she/they pronouns.
According to the Tempo, Dez uses she/they pronouns and is described as a “Borealis Blue” snapping turtle from Muskoka, Ontario, who DJs in their spare time. The team says the name Dez is inspired by “decibel,” a nod to their love of music. Dez is a Taurus who spins “the 1s and 2s” and has a particular fondness for soft-shell tacos. Their secret talent, the team says, is snapping.
Dot, the other new mascot, goes by she/her pronouns, loves cotton candy, and is billed as “the undisputed hype woman of the pair.”
“Dez and Dot have completely different personalities, but they’re better together,” said Whitney Bell, the Tempo’s chief marketing officer. “One knows when to slow things down, the other knows when to turn the energy all the way up.”
The reveal has ignited a mix of reactions online. Some social media users mocked the move, with one writing, “The WNBA is virtue signaling so hard they’re going to break a wrist.” Others, though, have speculated that Dez identifies as nonbinary, a label the team has not used explicitly.
LGBTQ-focused outlet Them took note of Dez, describing the turtle as “butch” and saying the Tempo’s press release “reads like a novella β a very queer novella.” The outlet went further, asking the team whether Dez and Dot might be romantically involved and requesting clarification on Dez’s gender identity.
A Tempo spokesperson responded that Dez and Dot are “besties,” prompting Them to update its report. Dez’s gender identity, however, remains officially a mystery.
The Tempo’s mascot rollout is part of the team’s broader branding push as it prepares for its inaugural season. The franchise, which will begin play in 2026, has been building anticipation with a series of announcements, and the mascot reveal was widely shared on social media, including behind-the-scenes footage posted on the team’s YouTube channel.
It’s unclear whether the mascot controversy will have any lasting impact on the Tempo’s fan base, but the team has certainly succeeded in getting people talking. Whether that’s a slam dunk or a turnover depends on who you ask.
Source: www.dailywire.com β https://www.dailywire.com/news/wnba-teams-new-she-they-mascot-is-a-taurus-dj-who-loves-tacos