Connecticut Sun

The Connecticut Sun is a professional women’s basketball team located in Uncasville, Connecticut. The team competes in the Eastern Conference of the WNBA and plays its home games at Mohegan Sun Arena. Originally founded as the Orlando Miracle in 1999, the franchise relocated to Connecticut in 2003.

The Sun has consistently been a strong contender in the league, making several playoff appearances and reaching the WNBA Finals three times (in 2004, 2005, and 2019). The team has featured notable players like Nykesha Sales, Tina Charles, Jonquel Jones, and Alyssa Thomas. Over their 21 years in Connecticut, the Sun have reached the playoffs 15 times but remain the oldest WNBA team without a championship, according to the official website of the Connecticut Sun.

Connecticut Sun History

The Orlando Miracle was founded in 1999 as part of the WNBA’s expansion efforts. The league's Operating Committee approved the introduction of the two new teams for the 1999 season on April 22, 1998. The two teams were backed by NBA teams- the Orlando Magic and the Minnesota Timberwolves. This brought the total number of teams in the league to 12. The Orlando Magic played their home games at the TD Waterhouse Centre. Coached initially by Carolyn Peck, the Miracle achieved moderate success during their four seasons in Florida but never advanced past the first round of the playoffs.

By 2003, financial difficulties threatened the team’s existence, and the Mohegan Indian Tribe stepped in, purchased, and moved the franchise to Mohegan Sun. This acquisition marked the first instance of a Native American tribe owning a professional sports team. The team was moved to Uncasville and rebranded as the Connecticut Sun. This move made the Sun the first WNBA team not affiliated with an NBA franchise. They began playing at the Mohegan Sun Arena, which remains their home arena.

Under head coach Mike Thibault, the Sun quickly rose to prominence. They made the WNBA Finals in 2004 and 2005, falling to the Seattle Storm and Sacramento Monarchs, respectively. The team continued to be a playoff contender throughout the late 2000s and early 2010s. (via Connecticut Sun official website)

Also Read: Connecticut Sun Playoff History

Connecticut Sun Owner

The Connecticut Sun is owned by the Mohegan Tribe, a federally recognized Native American tribe based in Uncasville, Connecticut. The team is operated by Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment, which also owns the Mohegan Sun casino resort.

The franchise was originally established as the Orlando Miracle in 1999 under the ownership of RDV Sports, Inc., a Michigan-based company owned by Richard DeVos, the owner of the Orlando Magic of the NBA. Mohegan Sun acquired the team in 2003 and renamed it the Connecticut Sun, as per the Connecticut Sun's official website.

Read More About: Connecticut Sun Owner

Connecticut Sun, jersey, and logo

The Connecticut Sun gets its name from its association with the Mohegan Sun. The team’s logo is a modern interpretation of an ancient Mohegan symbol. It features a navy blue letter “C” on an orange and blue shield, with sun rays radiating from behind. At the bottom of the shield, the top half of a blue and white basketball is visible.

The team’s official uniforms, Rebel, Explorer, and Heroine Editions, pay tribute to Mohegan heritage and culture. The Rebel Edition, in bold blue, honors Gladys Tantaquidgeon, the tribe's Medicine Woman. The uniform features the Mohegan word "KEESUSK" (meaning "Sun") and designs representing the Trail of Life and Connecticut rolling hills. The Explorer Edition, orange, represents the journey from sun to moon, and 13 dots represent the 13 moons in the lunar cycle. The Heroine Edition, white, represents strength and bravery, inspired by the Mohegan symbol of the rising sun and Grandfather Turtle, as per the Connecticut Sun's official website.

Connecticut Sun Retired Jersey

Over the years, the Connecticut team has boasted numerous All-Stars, yet only four players have had the honour of having their jersey numbers retired by the franchise. These legendary figures are listed by their jersey numbers: No. 12 - Margo Dydek, No. 13 - Lindsay Whalen, No. 23 - Katie Douglas, and No. 42 - Nykesha Sales.

Connecticut Sun Home Stadium

The Connecticut Sun play their home games at Mohegan Sun Arena, located inside the Mohegan Sun casino resort in Uncasville, Montville, Connecticut. The 10,000-seat arena, built by the Perini Building Company and opened in October 2001, has 30,000 square feet (2,800 m²) of flexible exhibition space and a 400-foot (120 m) clear span, according to the official website of Mohegan Sun.

Before relocating to Connecticut, the team was known as the Orlando Miracle. They played in Orlando, Florida, until 2003, and their home arena was TD Waterhouse Centre.

Connecticut Sun Tickets and Broadcasting

As of May 2025, NBC Sports Boston holds the television rights for the Connecticut Sun, as per the official Connecticut Sun website.

Before 2023, the Sun's games were broadcast on NESN (New England Sports Network). Additionally, local television station WCTX in Connecticut had previously aired Sun games. This marked the second period during which WCTX broadcast Sun matches, having originally done so before the 2010 season. Often, NBA TV would pick up the local feed to air these games nationally.

From 2012 to 2014, CPTV Sports (CPTV-S) carried Sun games. During the 2011 season, the games were shown on Comcast Sports Net New England, with Mike Gorman as one of the announcers. Other broadcasters who have covered Sun games in the past include Leah Secondo and Kara Wolters.

Connecticut Sun tickets to the 2025 WNBA season are available on ticket websites such as SeatGeek, Vivid Seats, and TicketSmarter. Price varies according to seat location and the team playing.

Connecticut Sun Coaching Staff

Rachid Meziane, a former national coach of Belgium and Villeneuve-d'Ascq of France, was named head coach of the Connecticut Sun in December 2024. He is joined by assistant coaches Roneeka Hodges, a retired WNBA player with experience as a coach at the New York Liberty and Colgate University, and Abi Olajuwon, who came with the Sun in 2022 as a collegiate-level coach. The additional personnel also comprises Pascal Angillis and Ashlee McGee as assistant coaches, Chaz Franklin as Head of Player Development, and Kevin Owens and Bak Sawi as player development coaches. Former WNBA player Kristen Mann works as Manager of Basketball Development, and Kristina Beauchais is in charge of basketball operations, according to the official website of the Connecticut Sun.

Connecticut Sun Famous Players

Tina Charles

Tina Charles, a 36-year-old center, rejoined the Connecticut Sun in 2025 on a one-year deal. signing for one year. She was originally drafted first overall by the Sun in the 2010 WNBA Draft and was named Rookie of the Year in that same season. She was the league MVP in 2012.

Charles holds the WNBA record for most career rebounds with 4,014 and is second all-time in points with 7,698. In 2024, she averaged 14.9 points and 9.6 rebounds per game for the Atlanta Dream and achieved 21 double-doubles.

Throughout her career, Charles has played for the New York Liberty, Washington Mystics, and Phoenix Mercury, as well.

Lindsay Allen

Lindsay Allen, a 5'8" point guard from Notre Dame, was drafted 14th overall by the New York Liberty in the 2017 WNBA Draft. Throughout her career, she has played for several teams, including the Las Vegas Aces, Indiana Fever, Minnesota Lynx, and Chicago Sky. During the 2024 season with the Sky, Allen appeared in all 40 regular-season games, starting 28. She averaged 6.6 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game, as listed on Basketball-Reference.

Allen was traded to the Connecticut Sun in February 2025 as part of a roster revamp. The Sun, undergoing significant changes, acquired Allen and the rights to forward Nikolina Milić in exchange for Rebecca Allen, according to the official website of the Connecticut Sun.

Connecticut Sun WNBA Records and Stats

The Connecticut Sun have reached the WNBA Playoffs in 15 out of their 21 seasons. Although the Sun has made it to the WNBA finals on four occasions (2004, 2005, 2019, and 2022), but has not yet captured a championship.

Also Read: Connecticut Sun Finals Appearances

Connecticut Sun Hall of Famers

Although the Connecticut Sun has had many great players, only one player, Margo Dydek, has been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Dydek played as a center, wore jersey number 12, and was inducted in 2019, according to the FIBA official website.

Jennifer Rizzotti was recognized by the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013, not for playing but as team president. She was among UConn legends like Coach Geno Auriemma, who was inducted in 2006, and Rebecca Lobo, who was inducted in 2010.