The Toronto Tempo introduced two official team mascots this week, giving WNBA fans their first look at a new duo named Dez and Dot.
The new additions feature unique personalities and backstories. Dez is a borealis blue snapping turtle from Muskoka, Ontario, who uses she/they pronouns. The team describes her as a calm, clever thinker who DJs in her spare time. Dot is an arctic hare from Toronto who uses she/her pronouns and serves as the high-energy hype woman.
According to an August 19 press release on the team’s website, the characters met in Ontario after Dot followed the northern lights south. They bonded over a shared love of rhythm.
Online reaction quickly grew as supporters speculated about the exact nature of the characters’ relationship. The franchise addressed the fan curiosity directly. In a statement to reporters at Them, the Toronto Tempo clarified that Dez and Dot are “besties.”
Dez joins a growing list of diverse figures in women’s professional basketball. Members of the Seattle Storm previously described their mascot, Doppler, as nonbinary during a November 2025 interview with Seattle Met.
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