Photo Credit
Researched and compiled by
Carrie Birdsong
Leagues: WNBA
Founded: 1999
History:
1. Orlando Miracle 1999 – 2002
2. Connecticut Sun 2003 – Present
Arena: Mohegan Sun Arena
Location: Uncasville, Connecticut
Team Colors: Orange, Navy Blue, White(1)(2)(3)
Main Sponsor: Yale New Haven Health System
General Manager: Darius Taylor
Head Coach: Stephanie White
Assistant(s):
Arena: Mohegan Sun Arena
Location: Uncasville, Connecticut
Team Colors: Orange, Navy Blue, White(1)(2)(3)
Main Sponsor: Yale New Haven Health System
General Manager: Darius Taylor
Head Coach: Stephanie White
Assistant(s):
1. Abi Olajuwon
2. Briann January
3. Austin Kelly
Ownership: Mohegan Tribe
Championships: 0
Conference Titles: 2 (2004, 2005)(a)
The Connecticut Sun is an American professional basketball team based in Uncasville, Connecticut, competes in the Eastern Conference of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team is currently the only major league professional sports team in Connecticut.
2. Briann January
3. Austin Kelly
Ownership: Mohegan Tribe
Championships: 0
Conference Titles: 2 (2004, 2005)(a)
The Connecticut Sun is an American professional basketball team based in Uncasville, Connecticut, competes in the Eastern Conference of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team is currently the only major league professional sports team in Connecticut.
The team was established as the Orlando Miracle in 1999, during the league’s expansion from ten to twelve teams, as a sister team to the NBA’s Orlando Magic. In 2003, as financial strains left the team on the brink of disbanding, the Mohegan Sun, became the first Native American tribe to own a professional sports franchise. The team’s name comes from its affiliation with Mohegan Sun and its logo reflects a modern interpretation of an ancient Mohegan symbol. Capitalizing on the popularity of women’s basketball in the state, as a result of the success of the UConn Huskies, the Sun held the distinction of being the only WNBA franchise not to share its market with an NBA team,(4) until the relocation of the Seattle SuperSonics in 2008 left the Storm as an independent team in Seattle.
The Sun has qualified for the WNBA Playoffs in fifteen of their twenty-one seasons in Connecticut.
History
Orlando Miracle (1999 – 2002)
Before the franchise relocated to Connecticut in 2003, the team operated as the Orlando Miracle. The Miracle played their home games at TD Waterhouse Centre in Orlando, Florida, as the sister team of the Orlando Magic. After the 2002 season, the NBA sold off all of the WNBA franchises to the operators of the respective teams, which placed the league in the middle of team contractors, relocations, and potential labor strife. Since Magic ownership was no longer interested in retaining the rights to the Miracle and no local partnership was reached, the organization ceased operations and was purchased by the Mohegan Tribe. On January 28th, 2003, it was announced that the Miracle would immediately move to Uncasville, Connecticut, and change its nickname to the Sun (about the Mohegan Sun casino)(5). The Sun’s nickname, color scheme, and logo are similar to that of another defunct Florida-based franchise, the Miami Sol, which folded at the same as the Miracle’s relocation to Connecticut. (6)
Relocation and ascendancy to prominence (2003 – 2004)
With a new home in Uncasville and two former UConn Huskies on the roster, the Sun entered the 2003 season looking to build upon a 2002 campaign in which they missed the playoffs due to a tiebreaker with Indiana. The Sun underwent a total overhaul during the off-season – selecting Debbie Black in the dispersal draft and acquiring former Connecticut star Rebecca Lobo to add another local attraction to join Nykesha Sales(7). General manager Chris Sienko named Mike Thibault, a coaching veteran with two NBA titles as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, as the first head coach for the franchise.(8)
On May 24th, 2003, the Sun hosted the first regular season game of its inaugural season, which was shown on ABC, the league’s new broadcast partner. The Sun yielded to the two-time defending champion Sparks before a sellout crowd of 9,341. After the 2003 season, the Sun finished with an 18 – 16 record, which clinched the first playoff berth since the franchise relocated. The Sun swept the second-seeded Sting in the first round of the playoffs, and before being swept by the Detroit Shock in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Rebecca Lobo announced her retirement after seven seasons in the WNBA. The Sun returned with Katie Douglas, Nykesha Sales, and Taj McWilliams-Franklin, the group that formed Thibault’s nucleus. General manager Chris Sienko fortified that core with former UConn product Asjha Jones, who was acquired in a three-team trade, and Minnesota Golden Gophers phenom Lindsay Whalen, who was taken with the fourth overall pick in the 2004 draft. The Sun managed to snag a top pick in one of the deepest draft classes in league history by trading perennial all-star point guard Shannon Johnson(9). The Sun selected Lindsay Whalen amidst rumors they would trade her to the Minnesota Lynx(10). However, she remained on the team as the Sun posted an 18 – 16(11) record in an equally talented Eastern Conference, winning the #1 seed. In the first round, the Sun defeated the Washington Mystics 2 – 1. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Sun rolled on, sweeping the New York Liberty. The Sun had made it to the WNBA Finals in their second season of existence. In the Finals, their run would end, as they lost a hard-fought three-game series, 2 -1, to the Seattle Storm.(12)
Dynastic Turmoil (2005 – 2007)
In the 2005 offseason, the Sun acquired 7’2” center Margo Dydek(13). With a dominant post presence, the Sun controlled the Eastern Conference, posting a 26 – 8 record,(14) the best regular season record for an Eastern Conference team in WNBA history(15). In the playoffs, the Sun flew to the finals, sweeping the Detroit Shock and the Indiana Fever. In the 2005 WNBA Finals, the Sun were matched up against an equally dominant Sacramento Monarchs team while having to deal with injuries to Lindsay Whalen. Despite having home-court advantage, the Sun lost in four games in the first-ever best-of-five format WNBA Finals. (16)
The success of the franchise was rewarded in 2005 when the Sun was selected to host the annual WNBA All-Star game. Sun coach Mike Thibault served as coach for the Eastern Conference, which lost 122 – 99. At the end of the game, Lisa Leslie became the first woman to ever dunk in an All-Star Game. (17)
In 2006, the Sun would match their 2005 record(18). Mike Thibault received the WNBA Coach of the Year Award while all five starters were named to the WNBA Eastern Conference All-Star team: Katie Douglas, Margo Dydek, Taj McWilliams-Franklin, Nykesha Sales, and Lindsay Whalen. In the playoffs, the Sun beat the Washington Mystics 76 – 61 in the first game and 68 – 65 in the second(19). But in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Sun lost to the Detroit Shock 1 – 3, where Connecticut hosted the last game.(20)
The Sun stumbled out of the gate in 2007, posting a dismal 5 – 10 record by late June. However, the Sun stormed back into playoff contention by winning 11 of their next 13 games, to finish the regular season at 18 – 16,(21) enough to win the #3 seed in the Eastern Conference. In the playoffs, the Sun faced the Indiana Fever in the first round. The Sun came into the series having won all four regular-season contests against the Fever. In game 1, despite holding a 17-point lead in the third quarter, the Fever raced back to force overtime. The game went into three overtimes, the first time it happened in WNBA history, ending with a 93 – 88 victory for the Sun. However, the Fever would respond by winning the next two games and therefore the series, including a playoff record 22-point come-from-behind win in Game 3(22).
Brief Decline (2008 – 2009)
During the 2007 – 2008 offseason, the Connecticut Sun made major changes to their roster to win that ever-elusive championship title. The Sun made three trades, one sending Katie Douglas to the Indiana Fever(23). In return, the Sun received Tamika Whitmore(24). Following the monumental trade, Nykesha Sales announced she would sit out the 2008 season due to multiple nagging injuries(25). 7’2” center Margo Dydek also took the season off due to her pregnancy. (26).
With a lineup of three new starters, the Sun started the season by winning eight of their first nine games. The team did slow in progression by losing five games in a row at one point, but they finished the regular season with a 21 – 13 record, which placed them second in the Eastern Conference, only one game out of first place(27). In the playoffs, the New York Liberty won the decisive game three on the Sun’s home floor, and for the second straight year, the Sun failed to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. (28)
The 2009 WNBA All-Star Game was held on July 25th at 3:30 p.m. at Mohegan Sun Arena, the second time the Sun had hosted the game. It was broadcast nationally on ABC (HD)(29). The 2009 season would prove to be a middling one for the team, which fought to stay around .500 the entire season. An injury to Asjha Jones did not help their chances, and the team ultimately finished 16 – 18, which was the same record as the Washington Mystics and Chicago Sky for fourth place, but Washington won the tiebreaker to advance.
Charles triggers resurgence (2010 – 2012)
Connecticut started its rebuilding process by acquiring DeMya Walker in the dispersal draft of the Sacramento Monarchs, which was held on December 14th, 2009. The Sun then snagged the first overall pick in the 2010 collegiate draft in a trade with the Minnesota Lynx; a trade that saw Lindsay Whalen along with the second overall pick traded to Minneapolis. This package netted the Sun Renee Montgomery. Thibault continued to reshape his roster after introducing Kara Lawson at a press conference as a new member of the Sun(30). Lawson, along with Montgomery was meant to shape a formidable backcourt, which would go with their plans in signing reserves Anete Jekabsone-Zogota and Tan White.
The Sun came into the 2010 WNBA draft with two picks in the first round – the first and seventh overall picks, the latter of which was acquired one day before the draft from the Tulsa Shock. With its first overall selection in franchise history, the Sun took UConn standout and Player of the Year recipient, Tina Charles, the consensus top prospect available. To diminish the losses of Amber Holt and Chante Black, both of whom were part of the package deal with the Shock, the Sun selected Kansas product, Danielle McCray. Before the draft, it was understood that McCray wouldn’t be available to participate in the upcoming season due to an ACL injury she sustained in college. There was a risk involved concerning her durability, but McCray’s potential as a superstar was reason enough to take the leap of faith. The Sun cemented its guard corps with the selection of Allison Hightower in the second round. He then nabbed former Cornhusker Kelsey Griffin, who was taken third overall, in a trade once again involving the Lynx. This trade would have the Sun relinquishing their first and second-round picks in next year’s draft. After the 2010 WNBA season (after going 17 – 17 and missing the playoffs), news surfaced that the Connecticut Sun was the first franchise in WNBA history to turn a profit. (31)
The 2011 season started well for the Sun. Few changes were made in the off-season, which gave the team some consistency and a year of experience on which to build. Sandrine Gruda and Anete Jekabsone-Zagota decided to sit out the season, so the Sun looked elsewhere, adding Jessica Moore. In a tough Eastern Conference, the Sun held a 9 – 5 record going into the All-Star break and finished 21 – 13 before losing in the Conference Semifinals. The 2012 offseason saw them try to build their team in small ways with a free agency approach – making small waves to pry Tina Thompson and Swin Cash from their respective teams and then getting forward Mistie Mims(32). The team had won 13 of their last 17 games before finishing 25 – 9 to finish 1st in the Eastern Conference.(33)(34)
The Sun fended off the Liberty in two close semifinal games to face the Indiana Fever in what was the team’s first Conference Finals since 2010. They won Game 1 76 – 64 in Connecticut to find themselves one win away from the Finals. However, the Fever struck back with a close victory in Game 2 that saw Shavonte Zellous hit a two-point jump shot with 0.5 seconds remaining to provide the winning points in a 78 – 76 loss(35). Back in Connecticut, the Fever got onto a hot start and the Sun (who missed their first thirteen shots from the 3-point line) never recovered. The Fever, who had never won a road elimination playoff game, won 87 – 71(36). After the season, Tina Charles was named WNBA Most Valuable Player Award winner while Montgomery was named WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year Award winner. On November 20th, Thibault (along with his two assistants) was fired with one year remaining on his contract; he had gone 206 – 134 in ten seasons as coach.(37)(38)
Change at the top (2013 – 2016)
Intending to accomplish the objective of a WNBA title, the team hired Hall of Famer Anne Donovan as Thibault’s successor(39)(40). Among other WNBA stints, Donovan was the head coach of the 2004 Seattle Storm team that captured the league title over Connecticut. Donovan hired Catherine Proto and Jennifer Gillom as her assistant coaches for her initial season. In 2014, Proto became the Scouting and Video Operations Manager for the Sun and Steven Key replaced her as an assistant coach(41). During Anne Donovan’s run as head coach, she would go 38 – 64 in three seasons with the Connecticut Sun before resigning as the head coach in 2015(42). Curt Miller would be named head coach of the Connecticut Sun starting in 2016.
During this period, the Sun also hosted two more WNBA All-Star games at Mohegan Sun Arena. Connecticut acted as host for the 2013 and 2015 contests.
A new era (2016 – Present)
With Curt Miller at the helm, changes were made. Elizabeth Williams was sent to the Atlanta Dream for the 2016 fourth overall pick in Rachel Banham(43). In April 2016, the Sun traded Chelsea Gray to the Los Angeles Sparks along with two second-round picks in the 2016 WNBA Draft and a 2017 first-round pick for Jonquel Jones and the Sparks second-round selection in the 2016 WNBA Draft(44). In the 2016 WNBA Draft, Connecticut selected Morgan Tuck with their third overall draft pick(45). After getting these three wins in sixteen games in the 2016 season, the Sun moved Kelsey Bone to the Phoenix Mercury for Courtney Williams and a second-round draft selection in the 2017 WNBA Draft(46). Closing out the 2016 WNBA season the Sun would win eleven out of the remaining twenty games and finish with a record of 14 – 20, missing out on the postseason by three wins.
In February 2017, the Sun traded Camille Little to the Phoenix Mercury for Lynetta Kizer from the Indiana Fever and eighth overall draft selection Brionna Jones in the 2017 WNBA Draft from a three-team trade(47). Ahead of the 2017 WNBA season, Chiney Ogwumike was suspended due to an injury she suffered overseas causing her to miss the 2017 WNBA season(48). By the halfway point of the season, they were 10 – 7. By the end of the season, they had won 21 games with 13 losses to narrowly finish out game out of 1st place in the East to reach their first postseason in five years. In the one-game Second Round, they lost to the Phoenix Mercury 88 – 83. Chiney returned to action in the 2018 WNBA season while Stricklen resigned for another with the Connecticut Sun.(49)
The 2019 team continued on the run from last year, as they finished with a 23 – 11 record to finish as the record to finish as the second-best team in the league overall and earn a bye to the Semifinals. In the best-of-five round, they won in a three-game sweep over the Los Angeles Sparks to meet the Washington Mystics, now coached by former Sun Mike Thibault. In the first WNBA Finals in Connecticut in 14 years, with the #1 Mystics having home-court advantage. The teams split the first two games before Washington won Game 3 94 – 81. A sixteen-point halftime lead for the Sun in Game 4 proved important when the attempted comeback of the Mystics came short in a 90 – 86 decision. In Game 5, the Sun led by two points going into the final quarter. However, the Mystics overpowered them with 27 fourth-quarter points to the 14 of the Sun to win 89 – 78 for the championship.
The 2020 season was meant to have a new record of games played with 36. However, the Covid-19 pandemic forced the WNBA to announce a change to the plan that would instead see 22 games played without fans at IMG Academy in Florida. In a twelve-team league that would see eight teams make the playoffs, the Sun went 10 – 12 to make it as the seventh seed. They won the first two playoff games to reach the Semifinals against the Las Vegas Aces. They won two of the first three games to be on the verge of the WNBA finals. However, they lost 75 – 84 and 63 – 66 to fall short.
The 2021 team returned with 32 games played where they lost only six times to clinch the #1 overall seed. The 26 wins tied a franchise record and gave them a bye to the Semifinals. They met the Chicago Sky, who beat them as a #6 seed by winning in four games, which included a 101 – 95 Game 1 win in double overtime.
In 2022, now with the 36-game schedule, the Sun went 25 – 11 to finish 3rd. They beat the Dallas Wings in the first round to make the Semifinals, where they narrowly beat the Chicago Sky in five games to reach the WNBA Finals for the second time in four seasons. Facing the #1 seed Las Vegas Aces, the Aces narrowly won Game 1 67 – 64 and then rolled to a 14-point win in Game 2. The Sun scored 105 points in Game 3 back home, but the Aces prevailed in Game 4 78 – 71 to win the championship.
Current home
The Sun plays in the Mohegan Sun Arena. Mohegan Sun is owned by the Mohegan tribe(50). The arena is located at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut. Despite the inclusion of “Connecticut” in the name, the team is technically under the jurisdiction of the State of Connecticut as Native American tribes are sovereign entities and the Mohegan Sun Arena is located on the Mohegan reservation, though the team is still considered to be located in Connecticut. Mohegan Sun Arena is smaller than most other WNBA arenas, with the maximum capacity (lower and upper levels) for a basketball game being 9,323(51). The Sun is the only top-level professional sports franchise located in the state of Connecticut. The New England Black Wolves of the National Lacrosse League formerly shared the Mohegan Sun Arena with the Sun until their relocation in 2020.
The Mohegan Sun Arena is located in the center of the mall area of the Mohegan Sun Casino. (52)
Uniforms
1999 – 2002: For home games, the Miracle wore white with blue on the sides/shoulders and white Miracle logo text on the chest. For away games, blue with white on the sides and a white Miracle logo on the chest. The Miracle logo is on the shorts.
2003: For home games, the Sun wore white with sun red on the sides and red Sun logo text emblazoned on the chest. For away games, pure red with gold trim on the sides and gold Sun logo text on the chest. The Sun logo is on the shorts.
2004 – 2006: For home games, the Sun wore white with sun red on the sides and red Sun logo text on the chest. For away games, blue with sun red and gold trim on the sides, as well as gold Sun logo text on the chest. The Sun logo is on the shorts.
2007: For home games, the Sun wore white with images of basic suns embellished on the sides and the Sun logo text on the chest. For away games, blue with images of basic suns on the sides and gold Sun logo text on the chest. The Sun logo is on the shorts.
2008 – 2010: For home games, the Sun wore white with the word “Connecticut” printed vertically on the sides and the Sun logo text emblazoned on the chest. For away games, the Sun wore blue with the word “Sun” printed vertically on the sides and the gold “Connecticut” text on the chest. The Sun logo is on the shorts.
2011 – 2015: For home games, the Sun wears white with yellow vertical stripes on the sides and the Sun logo text emblazoned on the chest. For away games, the Sun wears blue with white vertical stripes embellished on the sides and gold “Connecticut” text on the chest. The Sun logo is shown on the left shoulder.
2015 – Present: Frontier Communication takes over as jersey sponsor.
2016: As part of a league-wide initiative for its 20th season, all games featured all-color uniform matchups. Therefore, the Sun unveiled an orange uniform while retaining the blue jersey from the previous season.
2021 – Present: As a third jersey known as the “Rebel Edition”, the Mohegan Tribe added the word Keesusk (the Mohegan language word for sun) on the front in white text. The jersey is blue in honor of Gladys Tantaquidgeon, the tribe’s medicine woman who passed in 2005, at the age of 106. The edging on the sleeves of the third jersey features repeating symbols that represent the path of life and the icons on the neckline portray canoes once used by the tribe.(53)(54)
References:
1. "Connecticut Sun Announce 20th Anniversary
The Sun has qualified for the WNBA Playoffs in fifteen of their twenty-one seasons in Connecticut.
History
Orlando Miracle (1999 – 2002)
Before the franchise relocated to Connecticut in 2003, the team operated as the Orlando Miracle. The Miracle played their home games at TD Waterhouse Centre in Orlando, Florida, as the sister team of the Orlando Magic. After the 2002 season, the NBA sold off all of the WNBA franchises to the operators of the respective teams, which placed the league in the middle of team contractors, relocations, and potential labor strife. Since Magic ownership was no longer interested in retaining the rights to the Miracle and no local partnership was reached, the organization ceased operations and was purchased by the Mohegan Tribe. On January 28th, 2003, it was announced that the Miracle would immediately move to Uncasville, Connecticut, and change its nickname to the Sun (about the Mohegan Sun casino)(5). The Sun’s nickname, color scheme, and logo are similar to that of another defunct Florida-based franchise, the Miami Sol, which folded at the same as the Miracle’s relocation to Connecticut. (6)
Relocation and ascendancy to prominence (2003 – 2004)
With a new home in Uncasville and two former UConn Huskies on the roster, the Sun entered the 2003 season looking to build upon a 2002 campaign in which they missed the playoffs due to a tiebreaker with Indiana. The Sun underwent a total overhaul during the off-season – selecting Debbie Black in the dispersal draft and acquiring former Connecticut star Rebecca Lobo to add another local attraction to join Nykesha Sales(7). General manager Chris Sienko named Mike Thibault, a coaching veteran with two NBA titles as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, as the first head coach for the franchise.(8)
On May 24th, 2003, the Sun hosted the first regular season game of its inaugural season, which was shown on ABC, the league’s new broadcast partner. The Sun yielded to the two-time defending champion Sparks before a sellout crowd of 9,341. After the 2003 season, the Sun finished with an 18 – 16 record, which clinched the first playoff berth since the franchise relocated. The Sun swept the second-seeded Sting in the first round of the playoffs, and before being swept by the Detroit Shock in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Rebecca Lobo announced her retirement after seven seasons in the WNBA. The Sun returned with Katie Douglas, Nykesha Sales, and Taj McWilliams-Franklin, the group that formed Thibault’s nucleus. General manager Chris Sienko fortified that core with former UConn product Asjha Jones, who was acquired in a three-team trade, and Minnesota Golden Gophers phenom Lindsay Whalen, who was taken with the fourth overall pick in the 2004 draft. The Sun managed to snag a top pick in one of the deepest draft classes in league history by trading perennial all-star point guard Shannon Johnson(9). The Sun selected Lindsay Whalen amidst rumors they would trade her to the Minnesota Lynx(10). However, she remained on the team as the Sun posted an 18 – 16(11) record in an equally talented Eastern Conference, winning the #1 seed. In the first round, the Sun defeated the Washington Mystics 2 – 1. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Sun rolled on, sweeping the New York Liberty. The Sun had made it to the WNBA Finals in their second season of existence. In the Finals, their run would end, as they lost a hard-fought three-game series, 2 -1, to the Seattle Storm.(12)
Dynastic Turmoil (2005 – 2007)
In the 2005 offseason, the Sun acquired 7’2” center Margo Dydek(13). With a dominant post presence, the Sun controlled the Eastern Conference, posting a 26 – 8 record,(14) the best regular season record for an Eastern Conference team in WNBA history(15). In the playoffs, the Sun flew to the finals, sweeping the Detroit Shock and the Indiana Fever. In the 2005 WNBA Finals, the Sun were matched up against an equally dominant Sacramento Monarchs team while having to deal with injuries to Lindsay Whalen. Despite having home-court advantage, the Sun lost in four games in the first-ever best-of-five format WNBA Finals. (16)
The success of the franchise was rewarded in 2005 when the Sun was selected to host the annual WNBA All-Star game. Sun coach Mike Thibault served as coach for the Eastern Conference, which lost 122 – 99. At the end of the game, Lisa Leslie became the first woman to ever dunk in an All-Star Game. (17)
In 2006, the Sun would match their 2005 record(18). Mike Thibault received the WNBA Coach of the Year Award while all five starters were named to the WNBA Eastern Conference All-Star team: Katie Douglas, Margo Dydek, Taj McWilliams-Franklin, Nykesha Sales, and Lindsay Whalen. In the playoffs, the Sun beat the Washington Mystics 76 – 61 in the first game and 68 – 65 in the second(19). But in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Sun lost to the Detroit Shock 1 – 3, where Connecticut hosted the last game.(20)
The Sun stumbled out of the gate in 2007, posting a dismal 5 – 10 record by late June. However, the Sun stormed back into playoff contention by winning 11 of their next 13 games, to finish the regular season at 18 – 16,(21) enough to win the #3 seed in the Eastern Conference. In the playoffs, the Sun faced the Indiana Fever in the first round. The Sun came into the series having won all four regular-season contests against the Fever. In game 1, despite holding a 17-point lead in the third quarter, the Fever raced back to force overtime. The game went into three overtimes, the first time it happened in WNBA history, ending with a 93 – 88 victory for the Sun. However, the Fever would respond by winning the next two games and therefore the series, including a playoff record 22-point come-from-behind win in Game 3(22).
Brief Decline (2008 – 2009)
During the 2007 – 2008 offseason, the Connecticut Sun made major changes to their roster to win that ever-elusive championship title. The Sun made three trades, one sending Katie Douglas to the Indiana Fever(23). In return, the Sun received Tamika Whitmore(24). Following the monumental trade, Nykesha Sales announced she would sit out the 2008 season due to multiple nagging injuries(25). 7’2” center Margo Dydek also took the season off due to her pregnancy. (26).
With a lineup of three new starters, the Sun started the season by winning eight of their first nine games. The team did slow in progression by losing five games in a row at one point, but they finished the regular season with a 21 – 13 record, which placed them second in the Eastern Conference, only one game out of first place(27). In the playoffs, the New York Liberty won the decisive game three on the Sun’s home floor, and for the second straight year, the Sun failed to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. (28)
The 2009 WNBA All-Star Game was held on July 25th at 3:30 p.m. at Mohegan Sun Arena, the second time the Sun had hosted the game. It was broadcast nationally on ABC (HD)(29). The 2009 season would prove to be a middling one for the team, which fought to stay around .500 the entire season. An injury to Asjha Jones did not help their chances, and the team ultimately finished 16 – 18, which was the same record as the Washington Mystics and Chicago Sky for fourth place, but Washington won the tiebreaker to advance.
Charles triggers resurgence (2010 – 2012)
Connecticut started its rebuilding process by acquiring DeMya Walker in the dispersal draft of the Sacramento Monarchs, which was held on December 14th, 2009. The Sun then snagged the first overall pick in the 2010 collegiate draft in a trade with the Minnesota Lynx; a trade that saw Lindsay Whalen along with the second overall pick traded to Minneapolis. This package netted the Sun Renee Montgomery. Thibault continued to reshape his roster after introducing Kara Lawson at a press conference as a new member of the Sun(30). Lawson, along with Montgomery was meant to shape a formidable backcourt, which would go with their plans in signing reserves Anete Jekabsone-Zogota and Tan White.
The Sun came into the 2010 WNBA draft with two picks in the first round – the first and seventh overall picks, the latter of which was acquired one day before the draft from the Tulsa Shock. With its first overall selection in franchise history, the Sun took UConn standout and Player of the Year recipient, Tina Charles, the consensus top prospect available. To diminish the losses of Amber Holt and Chante Black, both of whom were part of the package deal with the Shock, the Sun selected Kansas product, Danielle McCray. Before the draft, it was understood that McCray wouldn’t be available to participate in the upcoming season due to an ACL injury she sustained in college. There was a risk involved concerning her durability, but McCray’s potential as a superstar was reason enough to take the leap of faith. The Sun cemented its guard corps with the selection of Allison Hightower in the second round. He then nabbed former Cornhusker Kelsey Griffin, who was taken third overall, in a trade once again involving the Lynx. This trade would have the Sun relinquishing their first and second-round picks in next year’s draft. After the 2010 WNBA season (after going 17 – 17 and missing the playoffs), news surfaced that the Connecticut Sun was the first franchise in WNBA history to turn a profit. (31)
The 2011 season started well for the Sun. Few changes were made in the off-season, which gave the team some consistency and a year of experience on which to build. Sandrine Gruda and Anete Jekabsone-Zagota decided to sit out the season, so the Sun looked elsewhere, adding Jessica Moore. In a tough Eastern Conference, the Sun held a 9 – 5 record going into the All-Star break and finished 21 – 13 before losing in the Conference Semifinals. The 2012 offseason saw them try to build their team in small ways with a free agency approach – making small waves to pry Tina Thompson and Swin Cash from their respective teams and then getting forward Mistie Mims(32). The team had won 13 of their last 17 games before finishing 25 – 9 to finish 1st in the Eastern Conference.(33)(34)
The Sun fended off the Liberty in two close semifinal games to face the Indiana Fever in what was the team’s first Conference Finals since 2010. They won Game 1 76 – 64 in Connecticut to find themselves one win away from the Finals. However, the Fever struck back with a close victory in Game 2 that saw Shavonte Zellous hit a two-point jump shot with 0.5 seconds remaining to provide the winning points in a 78 – 76 loss(35). Back in Connecticut, the Fever got onto a hot start and the Sun (who missed their first thirteen shots from the 3-point line) never recovered. The Fever, who had never won a road elimination playoff game, won 87 – 71(36). After the season, Tina Charles was named WNBA Most Valuable Player Award winner while Montgomery was named WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year Award winner. On November 20th, Thibault (along with his two assistants) was fired with one year remaining on his contract; he had gone 206 – 134 in ten seasons as coach.(37)(38)
Change at the top (2013 – 2016)
Intending to accomplish the objective of a WNBA title, the team hired Hall of Famer Anne Donovan as Thibault’s successor(39)(40). Among other WNBA stints, Donovan was the head coach of the 2004 Seattle Storm team that captured the league title over Connecticut. Donovan hired Catherine Proto and Jennifer Gillom as her assistant coaches for her initial season. In 2014, Proto became the Scouting and Video Operations Manager for the Sun and Steven Key replaced her as an assistant coach(41). During Anne Donovan’s run as head coach, she would go 38 – 64 in three seasons with the Connecticut Sun before resigning as the head coach in 2015(42). Curt Miller would be named head coach of the Connecticut Sun starting in 2016.
During this period, the Sun also hosted two more WNBA All-Star games at Mohegan Sun Arena. Connecticut acted as host for the 2013 and 2015 contests.
A new era (2016 – Present)
With Curt Miller at the helm, changes were made. Elizabeth Williams was sent to the Atlanta Dream for the 2016 fourth overall pick in Rachel Banham(43). In April 2016, the Sun traded Chelsea Gray to the Los Angeles Sparks along with two second-round picks in the 2016 WNBA Draft and a 2017 first-round pick for Jonquel Jones and the Sparks second-round selection in the 2016 WNBA Draft(44). In the 2016 WNBA Draft, Connecticut selected Morgan Tuck with their third overall draft pick(45). After getting these three wins in sixteen games in the 2016 season, the Sun moved Kelsey Bone to the Phoenix Mercury for Courtney Williams and a second-round draft selection in the 2017 WNBA Draft(46). Closing out the 2016 WNBA season the Sun would win eleven out of the remaining twenty games and finish with a record of 14 – 20, missing out on the postseason by three wins.
In February 2017, the Sun traded Camille Little to the Phoenix Mercury for Lynetta Kizer from the Indiana Fever and eighth overall draft selection Brionna Jones in the 2017 WNBA Draft from a three-team trade(47). Ahead of the 2017 WNBA season, Chiney Ogwumike was suspended due to an injury she suffered overseas causing her to miss the 2017 WNBA season(48). By the halfway point of the season, they were 10 – 7. By the end of the season, they had won 21 games with 13 losses to narrowly finish out game out of 1st place in the East to reach their first postseason in five years. In the one-game Second Round, they lost to the Phoenix Mercury 88 – 83. Chiney returned to action in the 2018 WNBA season while Stricklen resigned for another with the Connecticut Sun.(49)
The 2019 team continued on the run from last year, as they finished with a 23 – 11 record to finish as the record to finish as the second-best team in the league overall and earn a bye to the Semifinals. In the best-of-five round, they won in a three-game sweep over the Los Angeles Sparks to meet the Washington Mystics, now coached by former Sun Mike Thibault. In the first WNBA Finals in Connecticut in 14 years, with the #1 Mystics having home-court advantage. The teams split the first two games before Washington won Game 3 94 – 81. A sixteen-point halftime lead for the Sun in Game 4 proved important when the attempted comeback of the Mystics came short in a 90 – 86 decision. In Game 5, the Sun led by two points going into the final quarter. However, the Mystics overpowered them with 27 fourth-quarter points to the 14 of the Sun to win 89 – 78 for the championship.
The 2020 season was meant to have a new record of games played with 36. However, the Covid-19 pandemic forced the WNBA to announce a change to the plan that would instead see 22 games played without fans at IMG Academy in Florida. In a twelve-team league that would see eight teams make the playoffs, the Sun went 10 – 12 to make it as the seventh seed. They won the first two playoff games to reach the Semifinals against the Las Vegas Aces. They won two of the first three games to be on the verge of the WNBA finals. However, they lost 75 – 84 and 63 – 66 to fall short.
The 2021 team returned with 32 games played where they lost only six times to clinch the #1 overall seed. The 26 wins tied a franchise record and gave them a bye to the Semifinals. They met the Chicago Sky, who beat them as a #6 seed by winning in four games, which included a 101 – 95 Game 1 win in double overtime.
In 2022, now with the 36-game schedule, the Sun went 25 – 11 to finish 3rd. They beat the Dallas Wings in the first round to make the Semifinals, where they narrowly beat the Chicago Sky in five games to reach the WNBA Finals for the second time in four seasons. Facing the #1 seed Las Vegas Aces, the Aces narrowly won Game 1 67 – 64 and then rolled to a 14-point win in Game 2. The Sun scored 105 points in Game 3 back home, but the Aces prevailed in Game 4 78 – 71 to win the championship.
Current home
The Sun plays in the Mohegan Sun Arena. Mohegan Sun is owned by the Mohegan tribe(50). The arena is located at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut. Despite the inclusion of “Connecticut” in the name, the team is technically under the jurisdiction of the State of Connecticut as Native American tribes are sovereign entities and the Mohegan Sun Arena is located on the Mohegan reservation, though the team is still considered to be located in Connecticut. Mohegan Sun Arena is smaller than most other WNBA arenas, with the maximum capacity (lower and upper levels) for a basketball game being 9,323(51). The Sun is the only top-level professional sports franchise located in the state of Connecticut. The New England Black Wolves of the National Lacrosse League formerly shared the Mohegan Sun Arena with the Sun until their relocation in 2020.
The Mohegan Sun Arena is located in the center of the mall area of the Mohegan Sun Casino. (52)
Uniforms
1999 – 2002: For home games, the Miracle wore white with blue on the sides/shoulders and white Miracle logo text on the chest. For away games, blue with white on the sides and a white Miracle logo on the chest. The Miracle logo is on the shorts.
2003: For home games, the Sun wore white with sun red on the sides and red Sun logo text emblazoned on the chest. For away games, pure red with gold trim on the sides and gold Sun logo text on the chest. The Sun logo is on the shorts.
2004 – 2006: For home games, the Sun wore white with sun red on the sides and red Sun logo text on the chest. For away games, blue with sun red and gold trim on the sides, as well as gold Sun logo text on the chest. The Sun logo is on the shorts.
2007: For home games, the Sun wore white with images of basic suns embellished on the sides and the Sun logo text on the chest. For away games, blue with images of basic suns on the sides and gold Sun logo text on the chest. The Sun logo is on the shorts.
2008 – 2010: For home games, the Sun wore white with the word “Connecticut” printed vertically on the sides and the Sun logo text emblazoned on the chest. For away games, the Sun wore blue with the word “Sun” printed vertically on the sides and the gold “Connecticut” text on the chest. The Sun logo is on the shorts.
2011 – 2015: For home games, the Sun wears white with yellow vertical stripes on the sides and the Sun logo text emblazoned on the chest. For away games, the Sun wears blue with white vertical stripes embellished on the sides and gold “Connecticut” text on the chest. The Sun logo is shown on the left shoulder.
2015 – Present: Frontier Communication takes over as jersey sponsor.
2016: As part of a league-wide initiative for its 20th season, all games featured all-color uniform matchups. Therefore, the Sun unveiled an orange uniform while retaining the blue jersey from the previous season.
2021 – Present: As a third jersey known as the “Rebel Edition”, the Mohegan Tribe added the word Keesusk (the Mohegan language word for sun) on the front in white text. The jersey is blue in honor of Gladys Tantaquidgeon, the tribe’s medicine woman who passed in 2005, at the age of 106. The edging on the sleeves of the third jersey features repeating symbols that represent the path of life and the icons on the neckline portray canoes once used by the tribe.(53)(54)
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