"No one believed it was real" - Connecticut Sun president Jen Rizzotti reflects on one major development amid WNBA’s rapid rise

In the midst of the WNBA's recent boom, the Connecticut Sun posted the best record in franchise history. As they look to build off a successful 2024 campaign, one high-ranking member of the organization touched on a groundbreaking moment from last year.

Over the past few years, the WNBA has seen a steady increase in viewership, attendance and overall popularity. Things continue to trend in the right direction with bright talents such as Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese leading the next generation. This growth has come with a lot of bonuses, one of the biggest being announced right before the start of last season.

On Tuesday, Connecticut Sun president Jen Rizzotti was a guest on the "Locked on Women's Basketball" podcast. During the interview, she was asked for one standout thing that's come from the WNBA's recent growth. Rizzotti responded with teams finally getting chartered flights in 2024.

"The day that the players found out about the charter," Rizzotti said. "No one believed it was real. I can remember DeWanna saying like I never thought that this would happen in my playing career." (28:05)

In May, the WNBA announced the charter program for last season. This was a massive step forward for the league, as it meant players no longer had to fly commercial.

As for the Sun, they posted the WNBA's third-best record last season at 28-12. This landed them the No. 3 in the postseason, where they managed to reach the semifinals. After knocking off Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever in round one they were eliminated at the hands of the Minnesota Lynx.

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Jen Rizzotti speaks on Connecticut Sun's massive overhaul this offseason

Following a season where they finished in the top three in the standings, the Connecticut Sun went a different route with the franchise. Between free agency departures and other trades, the roster is going through a re-tooling.

With veterans like DeWanna Bonner and Brionna Jones departing in free agency, Connecticut now appears to be embracing a youth movement. Their flurry of trades landed them a top-ten pick in the 2025 draft, along with other promising talent for the future. The Sun will still have a veteran presence, as former champion Natasha Cloud was acquired in their array of moves.

During a recent interview, Jen Rizzotti was asked about the future of the Connecticut Sun following a busy offseason. She feels the franchise isn't in a panic situation and is confident in the direction they are heading in.

“We’re not hitting the panic button,” Rizzotti said. “We feel good about the moves that we’ve made. We’ve been very intentional about our priorities."

The changes the Sun has gone through certainly impacts their title window in the short term. That said, bringing in fresh young talent should extend their runway in terms of staying competitive for the foreseeable future.