> HOME > WNBA History > Comets History

History of the Connecticut Sun

The Connecticut Sun are one of the most consistently competitive franchises in the Women's National Basketball Association. Based in Uncasville, Connecticut, the Sun began play under their current name in 2003 after the Orlando Miracle relocated from Florida.

Connecticut has built a distinctive place in WNBA history. Unlike most professional sports franchises, the Sun are not located in a major metropolitan market and are owned by the Mohegan Tribe. Playing at Mohegan Sun Arena, the franchise has developed into a perennial contender through strong coaching, player development and a long line of stars that includes Nykesha Sales, Lindsay Whalen, Katie Douglas, Asjha Jones, Tina Charles, Chiney Ogwumike, Jonquel Jones, Alyssa Thomas, DeWanna Bonner and Brionna Jones.

The Sun have repeatedly come close to winning a championship. Connecticut reached the WNBA Finals in 2004, 2005, 2019 and 2022 and has made numerous deep postseason runs. Although the franchise continues to pursue its first WNBA championship, its sustained success has made it one of the league's most important organizations.

Origins as the Orlando Miracle

The history of the Connecticut Sun begins with the Orlando Miracle.

The Miracle entered the WNBA in 1999 as an expansion franchise and played at the Orlando Arena in Florida.

The team was originally affiliated with the NBA's Orlando Magic, following the ownership structure common during the WNBA's early years.

Orlando featured several talented players, most notably Nykesha Sales, who would eventually become one of the defining players in Connecticut Sun history.

The Orlando Miracle Years

The Miracle played four seasons from 1999 through 2002.

Orlando reached the playoffs in 2000 but never developed into one of the league's elite teams.

Despite competitive stretches, attendance and financial questions affected the long-term future of the franchise.

Changes in the WNBA's ownership structure eventually opened the door for the team to relocate.

The Move to Connecticut

Before the 2003 season, the Orlando Miracle franchise was purchased by the Mohegan Tribe and relocated to Uncasville, Connecticut.

The move was historically significant.

The Sun became the first WNBA franchise owned by a Native American tribe and one of the first professional sports teams in the United States owned by a tribal nation.

The franchise was renamed the Connecticut Sun and began playing home games at Mohegan Sun Arena.

The Connecticut Sun Name

The Sun name reflected the franchise's connection to the Mohegan Sun resort and casino complex.

The team developed its own colors and identity while building a strong connection to basketball fans throughout Connecticut and New England.

Unlike many professional teams, the Sun were not based in a major city. Instead, the organization built its identity around the entire state of Connecticut and the region's deep enthusiasm for women's basketball.

Mohegan Sun Arena

Mohegan Sun Arena became the home of the franchise beginning in 2003.

The arena provided the Sun with an intimate and energetic environment that quickly developed a reputation as one of the WNBA's strongest home courts.

Connecticut's location was particularly well suited for women's basketball because the state already possessed an enormous following for the sport through the University of Connecticut.

Mike Thibault

The Sun hired Mike Thibault as head coach before their first season in Connecticut.

Thibault became the architect of the franchise's first great era.

His teams emphasized ball movement, defense and intelligent half-court basketball.

Connecticut quickly developed into one of the strongest teams in the Eastern Conference.

Nykesha Sales

Nykesha Sales provided continuity between the Orlando and Connecticut eras.

Sales had been one of the Miracle's best players and became the first major star of the Connecticut Sun.

A former University of Connecticut standout, Sales was already familiar to basketball fans throughout the state.

Her scoring, defense and versatility made her one of the most important players in the franchise's early success.

The First Connecticut Sun Season

The Sun made an immediate impact in 2003.

Connecticut reached the playoffs during its first season under the new identity and demonstrated that the relocated franchise could compete immediately.

The successful debut established a foundation for what would become one of the strongest teams of the mid-2000s.

Lindsay Whalen Arrives

The franchise made one of the most important draft selections in its history in 2004 when it selected Lindsay Whalen with the fourth overall pick.

Whalen had become a national star at the University of Minnesota and immediately gave Connecticut a dynamic point guard.

Her strength, court vision and ability to attack the basket made her an ideal leader for Thibault's offense.

Whalen quickly became one of the best guards in the WNBA.

The 2004 Breakthrough

Connecticut made a major leap in 2004.

The combination of Whalen, Sales, Taj McWilliams-Franklin and several strong role players helped the Sun emerge from the Eastern Conference.

Connecticut advanced through the playoffs and reached the WNBA Finals for the first time.

The 2004 WNBA Finals

The Sun faced the Seattle Storm in the championship series.

Connecticut won Game 1 and moved within one victory of the championship.

Seattle responded by winning the next two games, including the deciding Game 3.

The Storm captured the championship behind Finals MVP Betty Lennox.

Although Connecticut fell short, reaching the Finals in only its second season in the state established the Sun as a legitimate championship contender.

Katie Douglas

Katie Douglas developed into another major piece of Connecticut's championship-contending teams.

Douglas was an outstanding perimeter defender and scorer who could contribute at both ends of the floor.

Her toughness and versatility fit perfectly alongside Whalen and Sales.

She became an All-Star and one of the defining players of the first great Sun era.

The 2005 Sun

Connecticut was even stronger in 2005.

The Sun finished with a 26-8 record, the best in the Eastern Conference.

Whalen continued developing into an elite point guard, while Sales, Douglas and McWilliams-Franklin gave Connecticut one of the league's deepest cores.

The Sun returned to the Finals for the second consecutive season.

The 2005 WNBA Finals

Connecticut faced the Sacramento Monarchs in the championship series.

Sacramento's physical defense created problems for the Sun throughout the Finals.

The Monarchs won the series 3-1 and captured their first WNBA championship.

For Connecticut, the defeat was particularly painful because it marked the second consecutive season in which the Sun had reached the Finals without winning the title.

The Sun Remain a Contender

Connecticut continued to rank among the league's best teams after its back-to-back Finals appearances.

The Sun remained a playoff regular behind their experienced core and Thibault's coaching.

However, the franchise could not return to the Finals during the remainder of the decade.

Asjha Jones

Asjha Jones became another major figure in Sun history.

The versatile forward developed into an All-Star and one of Connecticut's most dependable interior scorers.

Jones helped bridge the gap between the franchise's original championship-contending teams and the next generation.

Lindsay Whalen Leaves Connecticut

One of the biggest changes in franchise history occurred before the 2010 season.

Whalen was traded to the Minnesota Lynx in a major deal that brought Connecticut the rights to a high draft selection.

The trade allowed Whalen to return to her home state, where she would eventually win multiple WNBA championships.

For Connecticut, the deal helped begin another era.

Tina Charles

The Sun selected Tina Charles with the first overall pick in the 2010 WNBA Draft.

Charles had starred at Connecticut and entered the league as one of the most accomplished college centers of her generation.

She immediately became one of the WNBA's best post players.

Charles was named 2010 WNBA Rookie of the Year and quickly established herself as the new face of the franchise.

Tina Charles Wins MVP

Charles reached another level in 2012.

She dominated as a scorer and rebounder and led Connecticut to one of its best seasons since the mid-2000s.

Charles was named the 2012 WNBA Most Valuable Player.

The Sun advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals but were eliminated by the Indiana Fever, who went on to win the championship.

The End of the Mike Thibault Era

Despite Connecticut's consistent success, the franchise parted ways with Mike Thibault after the 2012 season.

Thibault had coached the Sun for their first 10 seasons in Connecticut and guided the franchise to two WNBA Finals.

His departure ended the first major era of Sun basketball.

Anne Donovan Takes Over

Hall of Famer Anne Donovan became Connecticut's head coach in 2013.

The Sun entered a transitional period as the roster changed around Charles and several younger players.

Connecticut struggled to maintain the consistency that had defined the Thibault era.

Chiney Ogwumike

The Sun held the first overall pick in the 2014 WNBA Draft and selected Chiney Ogwumike from Stanford.

Ogwumike immediately became an important frontcourt player.

She was named the 2014 WNBA Rookie of the Year after an outstanding debut season.

Injuries later interrupted portions of her Connecticut career, but she remained one of the franchise's most recognizable players during the middle of the decade.

Alyssa Thomas

Alyssa Thomas became one of the most important players in Connecticut Sun history.

Thomas entered the WNBA in 2014 and joined Connecticut through a draft-day trade.

Her game was unusual and highly versatile. She could rebound like a forward, handle the ball like a guard and defend multiple positions.

Over time, Thomas developed into the emotional and tactical center of the Sun.

Curt Miller Takes Over

The Sun hired Curt Miller as head coach before the 2016 season.

Miller began constructing another championship-caliber team.

The roster emphasized toughness, versatility and player development.

Connecticut gradually returned to the postseason and became one of the WNBA's most consistent contenders.

Jonquel Jones

The arrival of Jonquel Jones became one of the most important developments of the Miller era.

Connecticut acquired Jones on draft night in 2016.

Her combination of size, rebounding, shooting and athleticism made her one of the league's most difficult players to defend.

Jones developed from a promising young center into a superstar.

Brionna Jones

Brionna Jones also developed into a major contributor for Connecticut.

Selected in the 2017 WNBA Draft, Jones gradually expanded her role and became one of the league's most efficient interior scorers.

Her development demonstrated the Sun's ability to turn young players into major contributors.

The Sun Return to Contention

Connecticut returned to the playoffs in 2017 and remained a postseason fixture.

Thomas, Jonquel Jones, Jasmine Thomas and Courtney Williams formed the core of a team that played with tremendous energy and physicality.

By 2019, the Sun were ready to make another run at the championship.

The 2019 WNBA Finals

The 2019 Connecticut Sun produced one of the greatest seasons in franchise history.

Connecticut advanced to the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2005.

The opponent was the Washington Mystics, led by league MVP Elena Delle Donne.

The Finals developed into a dramatic five-game series.

Connecticut won Games 2 and 4, forcing a decisive Game 5 in Washington.

The Sun led during portions of the deciding game but could not hold off the Mystics in the fourth quarter.

Washington won the championship, leaving Connecticut one victory short once again.

DeWanna Bonner Arrives

Connecticut acquired veteran star DeWanna Bonner before the 2020 season.

Bonner brought championship experience from her years with the Phoenix Mercury along with scoring, length and defensive versatility.

She immediately became one of the Sun's leaders.

The 2020 Bubble Season

The 2020 WNBA season was played in Bradenton, Florida, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Connecticut began slowly but improved dramatically as the season progressed.

The Sun reached the WNBA semifinals despite entering the playoffs with a losing regular-season record.

The run reinforced Connecticut's reputation as a team particularly dangerous in postseason basketball.

Jonquel Jones Wins MVP

Jones produced the best season of her career in 2021.

She dominated as a scorer, rebounder and defender while leading Connecticut to the best regular-season record in the WNBA.

Jones was named the 2021 WNBA Most Valuable Player.

The Sun entered the playoffs as championship favorites but were upset by the Chicago Sky in the semifinals.

Chicago went on to win the WNBA championship.

The 2022 WNBA Finals

Connecticut returned to the Finals in 2022.

The Sun defeated the Dallas Wings in the opening round and then eliminated the defending champion Chicago Sky in a dramatic five-game semifinal series.

Connecticut faced the Las Vegas Aces in the Finals.

The Aces won the series 3-1, capturing their first championship.

For the Sun, the defeat marked their fourth WNBA Finals appearance without a championship.

Connecticut Sun WNBA Finals History

Stephanie White Becomes Head Coach

After the 2022 season, Curt Miller left Connecticut and eventually became head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks.

The Sun hired former Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White.

White inherited a veteran team still capable of competing for a championship.

Alyssa Thomas Makes History

Thomas produced one of the most remarkable seasons in WNBA history in 2023.

Operating as a point forward, she filled the stat sheet with points, rebounds and assists while also defending multiple positions.

Thomas recorded six triple-doubles during the regular season, setting a WNBA single-season record at the time.

She finished second in MVP voting and helped Connecticut reach the WNBA semifinals.

The 2024 Sun

Connecticut remained among the WNBA's elite teams in 2024.

The Sun opened the season with nine consecutive victories and once again established themselves as a championship contender.

Thomas, Bonner and Brionna Jones anchored a veteran roster built around defense and physicality.

Connecticut reached the semifinals before losing a five-game series to the Minnesota Lynx.

The End of an Era

Following the 2024 season, the Sun underwent one of the largest roster transformations in franchise history.

Several longtime stars departed.

Alyssa Thomas left after more than a decade with Connecticut. DeWanna Bonner also moved on, and the organization entered a significant rebuilding period.

Stephanie White departed after two seasons as head coach.

The changes effectively ended the era that had produced repeated semifinal appearances and the 2022 Finals run.

Rachid Meziane Takes Over

The Sun hired Rachid Meziane as head coach before the 2025 season.

Meziane brought extensive international coaching experience and represented a new direction for the franchise.

With much of the previous veteran core gone, Connecticut began rebuilding around a younger roster.

A New Generation

The post-2024 Sun entered a period of transition after years of championship contention.

The organization began emphasizing younger players, draft assets and long-term roster development.

The challenge was significant because Connecticut had spent much of the previous decade building around experienced veterans and competing deep into the postseason.

The new era required the franchise to establish another identity while maintaining the competitive standards that had defined much of its history.

Franchise Timeline

Notable Connecticut Sun Players

• Nykesha Sales
• Lindsay Whalen
• Katie Douglas
• Taj McWilliams-Franklin
• Asjha Jones
• Tina Charles
• Chiney Ogwumike
• Jasmine Thomas
• Jonquel Jones
• Alyssa Thomas
• DeWanna Bonner
• Brionna Jones
• Courtney Williams

Major Connecticut Sun Awards

• Tina Charles - 2010 WNBA Rookie of the Year
• Tina Charles - 2012 WNBA Most Valuable Player
• Chiney Ogwumike - 2014 WNBA Rookie of the Year
• Jonquel Jones - 2017 WNBA Most Improved Player
• Jonquel Jones - 2018 WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year
• Jonquel Jones - 2021 WNBA Most Valuable Player
• Brionna Jones - 2021 WNBA Most Improved Player
• Brionna Jones - 2022 WNBA Sixth Player of the Year

Connecticut Sun Head Coaches

Four Trips to the Finals

The defining frustration of Connecticut Sun history has been the franchise's repeated ability to reach the edge of a championship without winning one.

The 2004 team came within one victory of the title. The 2005 Sun returned immediately but lost to Sacramento. In 2019, Connecticut pushed Washington to a decisive fifth game. Three years later, the Sun returned again only to lose to Las Vegas.

Those defeats have prevented Connecticut from adding a championship banner, but they also demonstrate the franchise's remarkable ability to build contenders across multiple generations.

The Legacy of Lindsay Whalen

Whalen became the floor general of Connecticut's first championship era.

Her combination of strength, intelligence and passing helped the Sun reach consecutive Finals in 2004 and 2005.

Although she later became more closely associated with the Minnesota Lynx dynasty, her development into an elite WNBA point guard began in Connecticut.

The Legacy of Tina Charles

Charles became the first Connecticut Sun player to win WNBA MVP.

Her combination of scoring and rebounding made her one of the league's dominant centers almost immediately after entering the WNBA.

Her 2012 MVP season remains one of the greatest individual campaigns in franchise history.

The Legacy of Jonquel Jones

Jonquel Jones developed into a superstar in Connecticut.

Her journey from a draft-day acquisition to league MVP represented one of the franchise's greatest player-development successes.

Jones could score inside, stretch defenses to the three-point line and dominate the boards.

Her 2021 MVP award made her the second Sun player to earn the league's highest individual honor.

The Legacy of Alyssa Thomas

Alyssa Thomas became one of the most unique players in WNBA history during her years with Connecticut.

She functioned as a forward, rebounder, primary playmaker and elite defender simultaneously.

Thomas became especially known for triple-doubles and her ability to influence games without relying on traditional perimeter shooting.

Her toughness and versatility came to symbolize the Sun's identity during their long run of contention in the late 2010s and early 2020s.

A Unique WNBA Franchise

The Connecticut Sun occupy a distinctive position in American professional sports.

The franchise is based at a resort and entertainment complex rather than in a major metropolitan downtown and is owned by the Mohegan Tribe.

Despite playing in one of the league's smaller markets, Connecticut has consistently competed with teams from much larger cities.

The Sun's success demonstrated that a WNBA franchise could build a sustainable identity around regional support, strong basketball operations and a dedicated fan base.

Legacy of the Connecticut Sun

The Connecticut Sun have spent much of their history chasing the one accomplishment that has continued to elude them: a WNBA championship.

Yet measuring the franchise only by championships would overlook how consistently successful Connecticut has been.

The Sun reached consecutive Finals almost immediately after relocating from Orlando. A later generation built around Tina Charles returned the franchise to the top of the Eastern Conference. The Alyssa Thomas and Jonquel Jones era produced another extended period of contention, including Finals appearances in 2019 and 2022.

Few WNBA franchises have successfully rebuilt around so many different cores while remaining competitive.

From Nykesha Sales and Lindsay Whalen to Tina Charles, Jonquel Jones and Alyssa Thomas, Connecticut has repeatedly developed or acquired players who became some of the best in women's basketball.

The franchise's history is also important beyond wins and losses. The Mohegan Tribe's ownership of the Sun created a unique model in American professional sports and helped establish Connecticut as one of the WNBA's most distinctive markets.

The Sun continue to pursue the championship that has narrowly escaped them on several occasions. Whether that title eventually arrives or not, Connecticut has already established a substantial WNBA legacy through more than two decades of competitive basketball, memorable players and repeated postseason success.