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Connecticut Sun rookie Saniya Rivers is coming off a successful individual rookie season. On Instagram on Monday, she broke all shackles in a bold post on her Instagram Story.
“Will forever be that b***h,” Rivers wrote on her Instagram Story accompanied by a fire emoji.
The 2025 WNBA draft eighth pick wore a greenish-brown open jacket with no shirt underneath, revealing chest tattoos, and high-waisted brown pants. In her left hand is a dark green handbag, matched with a green baseball cap with a white “NY” logo and large dark sunglasses.
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Saniya Rivers broke the Sun franchise record for the most 3-point shots made in a single season by a rookie. She stood out in the closing stages of the season, where she had a standout performance in the 87-62 loss to the Atlanta Dream on Sept. 8. She recorded 16 points, from 7-out-of-17 field goals and 2-out-of-5 from beyond the arc, alongside four rebounds, two assists and a block.
As a team, the Sun underperformed. They were in a rebuilding mode as they lost most of their prior starting lineup during the 2024-2025 offseason. With new coach Rachid Meziane, they finished the season with an 11-33 record, fifth in the Eastern Conference and 11th overall, missing out on the postseason.
Rivers’ performance was one of the bright spots. She ended the season averaging 8.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
Saniya Rivers on the death of her mother
Saniya Rivers lost her mother, Demetria “Dee Dee” Rivers, 16 days after being drafted by the Connecticut Sun in the 2025 WNBA draft. She spoke with NBC Sports Boston on July 24 about the impact of her passing.
"She was always right there just to tell me, 'You got this.' She was just always trying to take the load off of me and just carry all that weight on her shoulders, and she did that until the day she passed. Yeah, I appreciate her for it because she definitely is the reason that I'm here, because I wasn't gonna do it.”
Her mother passed away on April 30 due to congestive heart failure. Her father, Donnell Rivers, said Demetria had experienced a fluid buildup and was hospitalized. Saniya arrived at the hospital at about 10:35 AM and was able to see her mother for roughly ten minutes before she died.
Following the death, she took a pause from team/training-camp activities during the preseason. The Sun organization, along with teammates and coaching staff, offered their support, compassion and understanding during the difficult time.
