2025 Connecticut Sun season
WNBA team season
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The 2025 Connecticut Sun season was the 27th season for the Connecticut Sun franchise of the Women's National Basketball Association and the first under head coach, Rachid Meziane.
| 2025 Connecticut Sun season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Rachid Meziane |
| Arena | Mohegan Sun Arena TD Garden |
| Attendance | 8,653 per game |
| Results | |
| Record | 11–33 (.250) |
| Place | 6th (Eastern) |
| Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
| Team Leaders | |
| Points | Tina Charles – 16.3 ppg |
| Rebounds | Aneesah Morrow – 6.9 rpg |
| Assists | Marina Mabrey – 4.0 apg |
After the loss of head coach Stephanie White and the entire 2024 starting lineup in the offseason, Marina Mabrey made a request to be traded.[1] However, Sun president Jennifer Rizzotti informed the media that they did not intend to honor Mabrey's request and rather plan "to build around her, have her here, have her be the catalyst for what we want to do offensively."[2]
The Sun is the first team in WNBA history to lose its entire starting lineup between the last playoff game of the previous season and the start of a new season. No NBA team has had the same happen since starters were first tracked in the 1970–71 season. The Sun returned only 11.4% of its scoring from 2024, little more than a third of the next-lowest total of 30.3% by the Phoenix Mercury.[3]
On May 12, 2025, Sportico reported that the team's owners, the Mohegan Native American tribe, had hired investment bank Allen & Company to explore options for outside investment in the franchise. The report noted that the "expectation is a control sale and likely franchise relocation." Rizzotti confirmed the report the next day.[4] ESPN journalist Alexa Philippou would later remark that "what happens with the organization could be a defining storyline for the league in 2025."[3]
Draft
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College/Club | Outcome | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | Aneesah Morrow | F |  United States |
LSU | Signed rookie contract April 24 Made opening day roster |
[5] |
| 1 | 8 | Saniya Rivers | G | NC State | Signed rookie contract April 21 Made opening day roster |
[5] | |
| 2 | 25 | Rayah Marshall | F/C | USC | Signed rookie contract April 17 Made opening day roster |
[5] |
Transactions
Front office and coaching
| Date | Details | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| November 6, 2024 | Head coach, Stephanie White, left Sun organization | [6] |
| December 3, 2024 | Morgan Tuck hired as general manager | [7] |
| Darius Taylor's role changed to Chief Basketball Strategist and Director of Scouting | ||
| December 4, 2024 | Hired Rachid Meziane as head coach | [8] |
| January 10, 2025 | Hired Roneeka Hodges as an assistant coach | [9] |
| February 10, 2025 | Hired Pascal Angillis and Ashlee McGee as assistant coaches | [10] |
| March 12, 2025 | Hired Chaz Franklin as Head of Player Development | [11] |
| Hired Kevin Owens as Player Development Coach and Video Coordinator | ||
| Hired Bak Sawi as Player Development Coach | ||
| Hired Kristen Mann as Manager of Basketball Development | ||
| Hired Kristina Beauchais as Manager of Basketball Operations | ||
| Hired Shavonte Zellous as Basketball Development Intern | ||
| May 16, 2025 | Darius Taylor left Sun organization | [12] |
Trades
| February | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| February 2 (Four-team trade) |
To Connecticut Sun Rebecca Allen and Natasha Cloud (from Phoenix Mercury) Jacy Sheldon (from Dallas Wings) 2025 No. 8 draft pick (from Indiana Fever) |
To Dallas Wings DiJonai Carrington and Tyasha Harris (from Connecticut Sun) NaLyssa Smith and right to swap third round picks in 2027 draft (from Indiana Fever) Rights to Mikiah Herbert Harrigan and the 2025 No. 12 pick (from Phoenix Mercury) |
[13][14] |
| To Indiana Fever Sophie Cunningham and the 2025 No. 19 pick (from Phoenix Mercury) Jaelyn Brown (from Dallas Wings) |
To Phoenix Mercury Alyssa Thomas (from Connecticut Sun) Satou Sabally, Kalani Brown, and Sevgi Uzun (from Dallas Wings) | ||
| February 4 | To Connecticut Sun Lindsay Allen Rights to Nikolina Milić |
To Chicago Sky Rebecca Allen |
[15] |
| March | |||
| March 16 | To Connecticut Sun 2025 No. 7 draft pick 2026 first round draft pick |
To New York Liberty Natasha Cloud |
[16] |
| August | |||
| August 7 | To Connecticut Sun Aaliyah Edwards |
To Washington Mystics Jacy Sheldon Right to swap 2026 first round picks (Connecticut with New York's own and Washington with Minnesota's own acquired from prior trades) |
[17] |
Free agency
Core designation
| Player | Date | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alyssa Thomas | January 17 | Traded to Phoenix Mercury on February 2 | [18][13] |
Re-signed / activations
| Player | Date | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caitlin Bickle | January 22 | Training camp contract | [19] |
| Leïla Lacan | July 2 | Set as active | [20] |
Additions
| Player | Date | Notes | Former Team | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tina Charles | February 2 | One-year deal | Atlanta Dream | [21] |
| Diamond DeShields | February 3 | Chicago Sky | [22] | |
| Mya Hollingshed | February 4 | Training camp contract | Bodrum Basketbol | [23] |
| Robyn Parks | Emlak Konut | |||
| Yvonne Anderson | February 6 | Two-year deal | CBK Mersin | [24] |
| Leïla Lacan | February 8 | Rookie contract (2024 draft pick – No. 10) |
Basket Landes | [25] |
| Kariata Diaby | February 13 | Training camp contract | Tango Bourges Basket | [26] |
| Amy Okonkwo | ||||
| Abbey Hsu | February 17 | Rookie contract (2024 draft pick – No. 34) |
Columbia Lions | [27] |
| Kamila Borkowska | February 24 | Training camp contract | Zagłębie Sosnowiec | [28] |
| Haley Peters | Villeneuve-d'Ascq | [28] | ||
| July 15 | 7-day contract | Free agent | [29] | |
| July 22 | ||||
| July 29 | ||||
| August 5 | Rest of season contract | |||
| Rayah Marshall | April 17 | Rookie contract (2025 draft pick – No. 25) |
USC Trojans | |
| Madison Hayes | April 21 | Training camp contract | NC State Wolfpack | [30] |
| Morgan Maly | Creighton Bluejays | [30] | ||
| Saniya Rivers | Rookie contract (2025 draft pick – No. 8) |
NC State Wolfpack | ||
| Aneesah Morrow | April 24 | Rookie contract (2025 draft pick – No. 7) |
LSU Tigers | |
| Bria Hartley | May 11 | Training camp contract | Athletes Unlimited | [31] |
| Jaelyn Brown | June 2 | Rest of season contract | Dallas Wings | [32] |
| Mamignan Touré | July 21 | 7-day contract | Spar Girona | [33] |
| July 28 | ||||
| August 4 |
Subtractions / unsigned
| Player | Date | Reason | New Team | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nikolina Milić | — | Free agency – reserved (qualifying offer extended) |
— | [34] |
| Veronica Burton | December 6 | Expansion draft | Golden State Valkyries | [35] |
| Brionna Jones | February 1 | Free agency – uncoreable unrestricted | Atlanta Dream | [36] |
| DeWanna Bonner | February 5 | Indiana Fever | [37] | |
| Tiffany Mitchell | February 8 | Free agency – unrestricted | Las Vegas Aces | [38] |
| Astou Ndour-Fall | April 9 | Aguascalientes Panthers | [39] | |
| Morgan Maly | April 26 | Waived | — | [40] |
| Mya Hollingshed | April 28 | — | [41] | |
| Abbey Hsu | — | |||
| Caitlin Bickle | May 8 | — | [42] | |
| Kamila Borkowska | — | |||
| Madison Hayes | May 14 | — | [43] | |
| Amy Okonkwo | — | |||
| Yvonne Anderson | May 15 | — | [44] | |
| Diamond DeShields | — | [45] | ||
| Leïla Lacan | Suspended contract – temporary | N/A – retained rights | [5] | |
| Robyn Parks | June 2 | Waived | — | [46] |
| Kariata Diaby | July 2 | — | [20] | |
| Jaelyn Brown | July 13 | — | [47] | |
| Haley Peters | — |
Roster
| 2025 Connecticut Sun roster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Depth chart
Schedule
Preseason
| 2025 pre-season game log Total: 1–1 (Home: 0–0; Road: 1–1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
May: 1–1 (Home: 0–0; Road: 1–1)
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| 2025 pre-season schedule | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Regular season
| 2025 game log Total: 11–33 (Home: 7–15; Road: 4–18) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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May: 1–5 (Home: 0–3; Road: 1–2)
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June
: 1–10 (Home: 1–3; Road: 0–7)
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July
: 2–6 (Home: 2–4; Road: 0–2)
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August
: 6–8 (Home: 3–3; Road: 3–5)
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September
: 1–4 (Home: 1–2; Road: 0–2)
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| 2025 season schedule | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notes:
- Games highlighted in ██ represent Commissioner's Cup games.
Standings
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | Conf. | Home | Road | Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | yx – Minnesota Lynx | 34 | 10 | .773 | – | 20–4 | 20–2 | 14–8 | 5–1 |
| 2 | x – Las Vegas Aces | 30 | 14 | .682 | 4 | 16–8 | 17–5 | 13–9 | 2–4 |
| 3 | x – Atlanta Dream | 30 | 14 | .682 | 4 | 15–6 | 16–6 | 14–8 | 3–2 |
| 4 | x – Phoenix Mercury | 27 | 17 | .614 | 7 | 13–11 | 15–7 | 12–10 | 4–2 |
| 5 | x – New York Liberty | 27 | 17 | .614 | 7 | 15–5 | 17–5 | 10–12 | 4–1 |
| 6 | cx – Indiana Fever | 24 | 20 | .545 | 10 | 13–8 | 13–9 | 11–11 | 4–1 |
| 7 | x – Seattle Storm | 23 | 21 | .523 | 11 | 12–12 | 10–12 | 13–9 | 4–2 |
| 8 | x – Golden State Valkyries | 23 | 21 | .523 | 11 | 9–15 | 14–8 | 9–13 | 3–3 |
| 9 | e – Los Angeles Sparks | 21 | 23 | .477 | 13 | 10–14 | 9–13 | 12–10 | 2–4 |
| 10 | e – Washington Mystics | 16 | 28 | .364 | 18 | 8–12 | 10–12 | 6–16 | 2–3 |
| 11 | e – Connecticut Sun | 11 | 33 | .250 | 23 | 7–14 | 7–15 | 4–18 | 1–4 |
| 12 | e – Chicago Sky | 10 | 34 | .227 | 24 | 4–17 | 6–16 | 4–18 | 1–4 |
| 13 | e – Dallas Wings | 10 | 34 | .227 | 24 | 4–20 | 6–16 | 4–18 | 1–5 |
Notes
- (#) – League Standing
- c – Commissioner's Cup winners
- y – Regular Season Champion
- x – Clinched playoff berth
- e – Eliminated from playoff contention
- Source: Overall standings and Commissioner's Cup Standings
Statistics
| Legend | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game | RPG | Rebounds per game |
| APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game | BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage | TO | Turnovers per game |
| PF | Fouls per game | Team leader | League leader | ||||
Source:[48]
Regular season
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marina Mabrey | 35 | 34 | 31.5 | 36.7% | 27.0% | 87.0% | 4.2 | 4.0 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 2.8 | 14.4 |
| Tina Charles | 43 | 42 | 28.4 | 43.8% | 26.1% | 85.7% | 5.8 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 1.9 | 16.3 |
| Leïla Lacan | 25 | 15 | 26.6 | 47.7% | 22.4% | 85.7% | 2.4 | 3.7 | 2.2 | 0.2 | 1.9 | 10.4 |
| Saniya Rivers | 42 | 25 | 26.1 | 40.7% | 34.1% | 74.6% | 2.8 | 2.7 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 8.8 |
| Jacy Sheldon | 28 | 17 | 24.1 | 47.0% | 41.2% | 90.0% | 1.9 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 7.5 |
| Bria Hartley | 38 | 32 | 22.8 | 36.2% | 36.7% | 77.2% | 2.0 | 3.1 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 1.8 | 8.9 |
| Olivia Nelson-Ododa | 37 | 21 | 21.6 | 52.6% | 50.0% | 70.3% | 5.0 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 8.2 |
| Aneesah Morrow | 41 | 23 | 18.9 | 37.5% | 24.0% | 75.8% | 6.9 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 7.7 |
| Aaliyah Edwards | 15 | 0 | 17.0 | 40.0% | 0.0% | 67.7% | 4.2 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 4.6 |
| Lindsay Allen | 31 | 9 | 14.5 | 40.0% | 16.7% | 82.6% | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 2.4 |
| Jaelyn Brown | 10 | 0 | 13.1 | 37.8% | 44.4% | 50.0% | 1.2 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 3.7 |
| Haley Peters | 33 | 2 | 11.5 | 30.5% | 20.5% | 76.9% | 2.2 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 2.1 |
| Robyn Parks | 6 | 0 | 10.5 | 20.0% | 0.0% | — | 1.5 | 0.3 | 0.3 | — | 0.2 | 0.3 |
| Mamignan Touré | 18 | 0 | 8.2 | 35.9% | 36.4% | — | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.4 | — | 0.4 | 2.0 |
| Kariata Diaby | 13 | 0 | 7.9 | 50.0% | — | 78.6% | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 1.9 |
| Rayah Marshall | 15 | 0 | 6.0 | 34.6% | 0.0% | 58.3% | 1.7 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 1.7 |
Awards and honors
| Recipient | Award | Date awarded | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tina Charles | Eastern Conference Player of the Week | August 26 | [49] |
| Leïla Lacan | AP All-Rookie Team | September 12 | [50] |