The Connecticut Sun is an American professional basketball team that participates in the Eastern Conference of the WNBA, under head coach Stephanie White as of September 2024. The franchise was founded in 1999, the team was formerly known as the Orlando Miracle. The franchise was owned by the Mohegan Tribe in 2003, and on January 28, 2003, Mohegan Sun, the new owner, announced that the team would be referred to as the Sun and it relocated to Connecticut from Orlando, Florida. The team's arena is the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, United States.
As of September 2024, players like Tina Charles (ranked eleventh among the top WNBA players of all time), Nykesha Sales (an eight-time WNBA All-Star), Taj McWilliams-Franklin, Asjha Jones, Courtney Williams, Katie Douglas, and many more great players have been part of the team. The team has three jersey colors: orange, white, and blue.
How many times has the Connecticut Sun made the playoffs?
The Connecticut Sun has qualified for the WNBA Playoffs 16 times out of 21 seasons. In 2003, they made their first playoff appearance as the Connecticut Sun after being sold by RDV Sports in the 2003 season, finishing with an 18–16 record, after narrowly missing the 2002 playoffs due to a tiebreaker with the Indiana Fever. Mike Thibault was the team's first head coach and was named WNBA Coach of the Year in both 2006 and 2008. In 2005, the Sun hosted the annual WNBA All-Star Game. The Connecticut Sun made the Eastern Conference playoffs in the 2004 and 2005 seasons, as well as in 2019 and 2022.
Connecticut Sun's Playoff Record
In the overall WNBA playoffs, the team has played a total of 81 games, winning 40 games and losing 41, with a winning percentage of 0.494. The Sun won four consecutive semi-final series against the Charlotte Sting, the Detroit Shock, the Indiana Fever, and the Washington Mystics in their first four years, although they have not won a championship as of September 2024.
In 2009 and 2010, the team did not qualify for the playoffs, and in 2012, they again lost to the Indiana Fever. Under head coach Anne Theresa Donovan, the team did not qualify for the playoffs from 2013 to 2015. In 2016, under head coach Curt Miller, the team did not qualify either, but starting in 2017, the Sun have made the playoffs for eight consecutive years. After qualifying in 2017, they lost second-round games to the Phoenix Mercury in the next two years with a 0-1 record. In 2019, the team won the semi-finals against the Los Angeles Sparks with a 3-0 record but lost in the finals to the Washington Mystics with a 2-3 record. In 2023, the team won the first round with a 2-1 record against the Minnesota Lynx but was defeated by the New York Liberty in the second round.
The 2024 WNBA season is ongoing as of September 2024, so the final standings are not yet available. The Sun have a 27-11 record with a 0.711 win percentage and are in third place in the 2024 WNBA regular season, having clinched a playoff berth as of September 16, 2024.
Connecticut Sun's Conference Finals
As per the 2022 WNBA playoff format, the top eight teams from the regular season, regardless of conferences, must participate in a single-elimination tournament system. In the 2016 playoff format, a stepladder-like system was introduced, and conference seeding was also eliminated. Before 2016, the Connecticut Sun won the Eastern Conference twice, with a record of 18-16 and a 0.529 winning percentage in 2004, and a 26-8 record with a 0.765 winning percentage in 2005 under head coach Michael Francis Thibault.
Connecticut Sun Championships
Connecticut Sun has not won any championship in WNBA as of September 2024. They have appeared in four finals in 2022, 2019, 2005, and 2004.
Connecticut Sun's Last Playoff Appearance
The 2024 WNBA season is ongoing as of September 2024, and the Connecticut Sun has secured their spot in the playoffs, currently in third place behind the New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx. The Sun has been playing in the playoff from the past seven consecutive years. As of September 16, 2024, they have scored 3,041 points with a 27-11 record and a 0.711 winning percentage in the regular season. The regular season will end on September 19, 2024, and the playoffs will begin on September 22, 2024.
FAQs on Connecticut Sun
A. Connecticut Sun last played in the 2022 WNBA Finals.
A. Connecticut Sun's greatest rival is Las Vegas Aces.
A. No, the Connecticut Sun didn't win any WNBA Championship as of September 2024. They have appeared in the finals four times.
A. Connecticut Sun won 40 matches and lost 41 matches in playoffs as of September 2024.
A. Yale New Haven Health System is Connecticut Sun's main sponsor.
A. Connectciut Sun's general manager is Darius Taylor.
