Everything To Know About CT Sun Before WNBA Preseason Opener

The WNBA is back with a pair of preseason games Friday, and fans should prepare for a new era for the Sun.

Connecticut’s run of eight straight postseason appearances likely will end as the franchise embraced a rebuild this offseason. That run included two WNBA Finals appearances and six straight semifinal appearances.

The rebuild started when the Sun parted ways with head coach Stephanie White, who became the Indiana Fever head coach. Connecticut hired Rachid Meziane, a first-time WNBA coach. The 45-year-old has experience coaching the Belgian national team and multiple professional teams in his native France. He led Villeneuve to the 2024 Ligue Féminine title and to the club’s first EuroLeague Finals appearance, where they lost to Fenerbahçe, a team featuring Napheesa Collier, Kayla McBride and Emma Messeman.

Connecticut then moved on from top star Alyssa Thomas when it traded the five-time All-Star to the Phoenix Mercury. DeWanna Bonner signed with the Fever in free agency. Brionna Jones signed with the Atlanta Dream, and the Sun traded DiJonai Carrington to the Dallas Wings.

It’s expected to be a rough 2025 season for the Sun. FanDuel Sportsbook listed their win total line at 10.5 games, and the odds for them to make the playoffs were set at +1260. The WNBA expanded the regular season to 44 games, so it shows how bleak the outlook is for the franchise.

Former Sun star Morgan Tuck was promoted to general manager, and it will be up to her team president Jennifer Rizzotti and Meziane to build the foundation for the franchise’s rebuild. The glimmers of hope will come from this year’s first-round picks Aneesah Morrow and Saniya Rivers. The pair of rookies should be given every opportunity to develop their games and adjust to the pro level.

The only veterans on guaranteed contracts are Marina Mabrey, Tina Charles, Yvonne Anderson and Olivia Nelson-Ododa. However, Mabrey could be the next star to leave town. The 28-year-old reportedly requested a trade from the Sun, but the request was not granted. Connecticut may be looking for a better deal for Mabrey, although it would be a surprise if she were still with the team by the end of the season.

A tanking season is never a good look for any team, but it’s especially tough given how competitive the Sun were over the last decade. The outlook is especially rough after Thomas’ story of practicing next to a child’s birthday party before a playoff game. There is already movement for a Boston franchise, which will only grow when Connecticut plays the Fever at TD Garden on July 15.

The diehard fans will ride with the team, but for others, it might be best to mark your calendars for when the likes of Paige Buckers, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese play at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Connecticut begins preseason play against the Seattle Storm this Sunday, and the Sun face off against the Washington Mystics in the season opener on May 18.