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#ShrinkTheGame: 13 Days of WNBA
Day 3: The Connecticut Sun
Fred S
May 06, 2025
With just 13 days remaining until the official start of the WNBA season, I’ll be counting down with a daily mini preview of each of the league’s 13 teams. Stay tuned as we break down what to watch, who to watch, and what to expect from every squad.
Table of Contents
Training Camp and Preseason Reminder
Teams are inviting a ton of players to training camp to battle it out for roster spots. Each team can bring in up to 18 players, so expect to see a lot of additions over the next few days.
To stay updated on who’s in and out of camp, check out Across the Timeline and the WNBA Transaction page.
DC4405
Reporting Live From Uncasville
The team that brought us five semi-final appearances and two final appearances is no more. The Connecticut Sun imploded following the 2024 season, and they saw their long-time players leave Uncasville to see if the grass was greener on other teams. Head coach Steph White also left to go home and coach in Indiana.
For fans and the organization, this is a fresh start. It hurts to see your extremely talented team always be the bridesmaid and never the bride. It's even harder when your MVP, Jonquel Jones, leaves and wins her long-coveted championship (and Finals MVP!) only two years after leaving. Alyssa Thomas and Brionna Jones, who both spent their entire careers in Connecticut, saw this and knew they had to leave to have a chance at a ring. With a new, fresh crop of draftees, young players, and key vets in Tina Charles and Marina Mabrey (reluctantly), the Sun are fully committed to the rebuild.
In the blockbuster trade that sent Alyssa Thomas to the Mercury and brought Natasha Cloud to the Sun, Connecticut also received Rebecca Allen, the 2025 No. 12 overall pick (from the Mercury), the 8th pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft (from Indiana), and Jacy Sheldon (from Dallas). Since then, the Sun traded Natasha Cloud to the New York Liberty in exchange for the 7th overall pick (used to select Aneesah Morrow) and created an additional $200K in cap space. They also sent Rebecca Allen to Chicago for Lindsay Allen and the rights to Nikolina Milić.
These moves reflect the Sun’s goal of staying competitive while building draft capital and stockpiling young talent. We saw how effective Jacy Sheldon was as a rookie point guard in Dallas, and now she has a chance to grow in Connecticut, possibly learning under Lindsay Allen (if she makes the final roster) and logging significant minutes.
The added cap flexibility gives the Sun room to make big moves if they choose (cough cough, Emma Meesseman). Emma played under Coach Meziane and just won a Turkish league title with Tina Charles. With all that extra cap, it could be just enough space to entice her to come over after EuroBasket in June. I will say…. New York also has $185K extra now… but this is not their newsletter lol.
To keep it short (and honestly, I don’t care enough about Connecticut to go on), the Sun have solid assets, draft picks, and promising young players to build around for the future.
What to Look Out For:
Tina Charles was the Sun’s first major signing of the off-season, landing a $200K contract. Originally drafted by Connecticut in 2010, she’s now returning to her roots—both to the franchise and to the state where she starred at UConn. This move likely signals the final chapter of her playing career, and it’s clearly not about the money—Charles donates her entire salary each year. What’s most exciting to watch will be her role as a mentor to the team’s younger players and rookies. Aneesah Morrow, a standout rebounder in her own right, couldn’t have landed in a better situation, now learning from the WNBA’s all-time leading rebounder. Tina’s on-court production will remain steady, but her leadership off the court could be just as impactful.
Marina Mabery made it pretty clear she wanted out of the Connecticut Sun after the team fell apart. That said, she definitely knew what she was getting into when she requested the trade to the Sun last season. The Sun had already made it clear they weren’t going to move her, especially after giving up so much to get her. It seems like she’s come around to the situation, especially with the warm welcome she gave the team’s new rookies. If she truly embraces this role, I think she could be a great leader and a key player for the Sun.
Olivia Nelson-Ododa has been with the Sun since 2023 and, aside from Marina, is the only player who was part of the team’s previous era. She’s served as a backup big behind Brionna Jones since arriving, but now she’ll likely have more of a chance to grow and show that she can be a dominant force in the paint. I’m not sure if she’ll start—especially with Tina Charles also on the roster—but it’ll be interesting to see how the Sun utilize her this season.
The Rooks: Keep an eye on the rookies in Connecticut, they’ll have plenty of room to learn on the job and develop this season. I’m especially excited to watch Saniya Rivers grow (though she’s currently away from the team due to the passing of her mother). She has both the talent and the personality to become a real star in this league. I’m also hoping USC’s Rayah Marshall makes the final roster. She was a sleeper pick in the draft and has both the skillset and leadership qualities to succeed. We all saw how she stepped up during the NCAA tournament when JuJu Watkins went down with that ACL tear.
Question Marks
What will Marina’s role be on this team?
Will Aneesah’s size be an issue/hinder her game?
Do they have another big signing up their sleeve?
Is this Tina Charles’ Victory lap?
What role will Lindsay Allen play if she makes the final roster—mentor, backup PG, or both?
How will Jacy Sheldon’s game translate in a new system, especially if she’s handed more responsibility early?
CAP SPACE: $681,368
Free Agency and Roster Updates
Signed | Training Camp Contract | Waived/Traded | Draft Picks |
|---|---|---|---|
Tina Charles - $170,000 | Caitlin Bickle accepted her qualifying offer | Rebecca Allen for the rights to Nikolina Milić and Lindsay Allen($90,000) | Round 1: #7 Aneesah Morrow (LSU), #8 Saniya Rivers (NC State) |
Diamond Deshields - $115,000 unprotected | Robyn Parks signed a rookie scale contract for $66,079 | Natasha Cloud (200K) | Round 2: #25 Rayah Marshall (USC) |
Leïla Lacan signed a rookie-scale contract for $72,455 | |||
Yvonne Anderson signed a two-year deal - $85,000 | Undrafted Invite: Morgan Maly (Creighton), Madison Hayes (NC State) |
The Coaches
Rachid Meziane is a seasoned basketball coach with a strong track record of success on the international stage. Known for his tactical sharpness and player-first approach, Meziane most recently served as head coach of French powerhouse ASVEL Féminin and led the French national team to a bronze medal at EuroBasket 2023. With years of experience developing top-tier talent in Europe, he now brings his leadership and vision to the WNBA as the new head coach of the Connecticut Sun. Meziane’s arrival marks a new era in Uncasville, as the franchise looks to rebuild and contend with a fresh identity.
Hodges brings a wealth of basketball knowledge to Connecticut, most recently serving as an assistant coach for the New York Liberty from 2022-2024. She helped guide the Liberty to the organization’s first WNBA Championship in 2024, as well as back-to-back 30+ win regular seasons in 2023 and 2024. Prior to the Liberty, Hodges coached collegiately as an assistant with Colgate University (2021-2022) and Old Dominion University (2020-2021). She also served as a special advisor to the LSU women’s basketball program during the 2019-20 season. She also played in the WNBA for 11 years.
Angillis joins the Connecticut Sun with over 30 years of coaching experience. Since 2022, he has served as an assistant coach for the Belgian Women’s National Team alongside Rachid Meziane. In 2023, he helped lead the Belgian Cats to their first-ever FIBA Women’s EuroBasket gold medal, finishing the tournament with an undefeated 6-0 record. He also played a key role in the team’s impressive fourth-place finish at the 2024 Paris Olympics, narrowly missing the bronze in a close matchup against Australia. A native of Belgium, Angillis previously served as an assistant coach for the Belgian Men’s National Team from 2013 to 2015.
McGee joins the Sun coaching staff after most recently serving as an assistant coach for the Washington Mystics since the 2023 season. Prior to the Mystics, McGee has also worked as a video coordinator for the Minnesota Lynx (2020-2022), a video/player development associate for the Minnesota Timberwolves (2021-2023) and an advanced scout for the Los Angeles Sparks (2018).
Hoops & Hype: Media Picks
Check out some of the cool podcasts, videos, reads, and fashion I saw this week.
@marinamabrey3 cat daddy #fyp #foryoupage #fypシ #dancing #teammates
@connecticutsun Riddle of the day: What runs around the court, but never gets tired? 🧠 #BringTheHeat #CTSun #wnba #connecticut #womenssports
