2024 Connecticut Sun season | |
---|---|
Coach | Stephanie White |
Arena | Mohegan Sun Arena TD Garden |
Attendance | 8,451 per game |
Results | |
Record | 28–12 (.700) |
Place | 2nd (Eastern) |
Playoff finish | 2nd seed, Lost in Semifinals to Minnesota 2–3 |
Team Leaders | |
Points | DeWanna Bonner – 15.0 ppg |
Rebounds | Alyssa Thomas – 8.4 rpg |
Assists | Alyssa Thomas – 7.9 apg |
The 2024 Connecticut Sun season was the 26th season for the Connecticut Sun franchise of the Women's National Basketball Association. It was the 22nd season for the franchise in Connecticut after relocating from Orlando. After both the Phoenix Mercury and Seattle Storm missed the playoffs for the first time since 2012 and 2015 respectively, the Sun entered the season with the longest active playoffs streak for the WNBA, making the playoffs every year since 2017. The Regular season tipped off on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at home versus the Indiana Fever. [1]
The Sun started the season on a scorching hot streak as they won seven straight games in May to finish the month 7–0. The winning streak included a four-point win over Indiana, a one-point overtime victory over Minnesota and a four-point win over Chicago. The winning streak continued into June as the Sun won their first two games in that month. Their first loss of the season did not come until June 8, when they lost to New York. The Sun won four straight games after that loss. However, they experienced their first rough patch of the season to end June, losing three out of their last four games of the month. Their only win in that stretch came in overtime against Washington. They finished June 7–4. They won the first three games of July before losing to New York. They would defeat Phoenix by twenty-seven points before losing again to New York to enter the Olympic break. They finished July 4–2 and were 18–6 before the Olympic break. The Sun defeated Dallas in the first game back from the break before losing to Atlanta. They would win their next three games, including their first win against New York this season. They lost to Indiana and defeated Washington to finish August 5–2. The win against New York secured the Sun their playoff berth on August 24. The Sun split two games with Seattle to begin September. They lost to Las Vegas before winning three straight games. In their final three games, they lost to Las Vegas and Minnesota before defeating Chicago in the final game of the season. They finished September 5–4 and the season with a 28–12 record. Their twenty-eight wins were the most in franchise history.
The Sun finished in third place overall and were the third seed in the 2024 WNBA Playoffs. They earned home-court advantage against the sixth seed Indiana in the First Round. They dominated game one of the series, winning 93–69. Game two was closer, but the Sun prevailed 87–81 to win the series two games to zero. They advanced to the Semfinals where they faced Minnesota. The Sun won game one in Minnesota 73–70. They would lose games two and three 70–74 and 81–90 respectively to come within one game of elimination. The Sun won game four at home 92–82 to force a game five. Minnesota got off to a hot start in the fifth game and the Sun could not overcome the deficit, losing 77–88 to end their season.
Round | Pick | Player | Nationality | School/Team/Country |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 10 | Leila Lacan | ![]() | Angers (France) |
2 | 19 | Taiyanna Jackson | ![]() | Kansas |
2 | 22 | Helena Pueyo | ![]() | Arizona |
3 | 34 | Abbey Hsu | ![]() | Columbia |
Date | Details | |
---|---|---|
December 12, 2023 | Tiffany Hayes announced her retirement [2] | |
January 18, 2024 | Cored Brionna Jones [3] | |
Extended qualifying offers to Kianna Smith and Bernadett Határ [3] | ||
January 31, 2024 | Acquired Tiffany Mitchell and the 19th pick in the 2024 draft from Minnesota Lynx in exchange for Natisha Hiedeman [4] | |
February 1, 2024 | Signed Rachel Banham [5] | |
February 2, 2024 | Signed Rennia Davis, Kianna Smith, and Sydney Wiese to training camp contracts [6] | |
February 3, 2024 | Acquired Moriah Jefferson from the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for Rebecca Allen [7] | |
Signed Astou Ndour-Fall [8] | ||
February 5, 2024 | Re-signed Brionna Jones [9] | |
February 6, 2024 | Re-signed DeWanna Bonner [10] | |
February 16, 2024 | Signed Shey Peddy to a training camp contract [11] | |
February 19, 2024 | Signed Jocelyn Willoughby to a training camp contract [12] | |
April 16, 2024 | Signed Helena Pueyo and Taiyanna Jackson to rookie contracts [3] | |
May 1, 2024 | Waived Kianna Smith [13] | |
May 5, 2024 | Waived Leigha Brown, Rennia Davis, and Shey Peddy [14] | |
May 7, 2024 | Acquired Queen Egbo from the Washington Mystics in exchange for Bernadett Határ and the Sun's second-round 2025 draft pick [15] | |
May 10, 2024 | Waived Helena Pueyo and Taiyanna Jackson [16] | |
May 13, 2024 | Waived Sydney Wiese and Jocelyn Willoughby [17] | |
May 15, 2024 | Exercised 4th-year team option on Olivia Nelson-Ododa [18] | |
June 5, 2024 | Waived Queen Egbo [19] | |
Signed Veronica Burton [20] | ||
July 17, 2024 | Traded Rachel Banham, Moriah Jefferson, a first-round 2025 draft pick, and the rights to swap 2026 first-round draft picks to Chicago Sky in exchange for Marina Mabrey and Chicago's second-round 2025 draft pick. [21] | |
July 20, 2024 | Signed Caitlin Bickle to a 7-day hardship contract. [22] | |
August 16, 2024 | Signed Celeste Taylor to a 7-day hardship contract. [23] | |
August 22, 2024 | Released Caitlin Bickle from first 7-day hardship contract, and resigned Bickle to a second hardship contract. | |
August 30, 2024 | Signed Caitlin Bickle. |
Additions
| Subtractions
|
2024 Connecticut Sun roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Pos. | Starter | Bench |
---|---|---|
PG | Tyasha Harris | Marina Mabrey |
SG | DiJonai Carrington | |
SF | DeWanna Bonner | Tiffany Mitchell ![]() |
PF | Alyssa Thomas | Astou Ndour-Fall |
C | Brionna Jones | Olivia Nelson-Ododa |
2024 pre-season game log Total: 0–1 (Home: 0–1; Road: 0–0) | ||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
May: 0–1 (Home: 0–1; Road: 0–0)
| ||||||||||||||||||
2024 pre-season schedule |
2024 game log Total: 28–12 (Home: 14–6; Road: 14–6) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
May: 7–0 (Home: 5–0; Road: 2–0)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
June : 7–4 (Home: 3–2; Road: 4–2)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
July : 4–2 (Home: 2–1; Road: 2–1)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
August : 5–2 (Home: 2–0; Road: 3–2)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
September : 5–4 (Home: 2–3; Road: 3–1)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2024 season schedule |
2024 playoff game log | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First round vs. Indiana Fever Won Series: 2–0
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Semifinals vs. Minnesota Lynx Lost Series: 2–3
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2024 playoff schedule |
# | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | Conf. | Home | Road | Cup |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | yx – New York Liberty | 32 | 8 | .800 | — | 16–4 | 16–4 | 16–4 | 5–0 |
2 | cx – Minnesota Lynx | 30 | 10 | .750 | 2 | 14–6 | 16–4 | 14–6 | 4–1 |
3 | x – Connecticut Sun | 28 | 12 | .700 | 4 | 14–6 | 14–6 | 14–6 | 4–1 |
4 | x – Las Vegas Aces | 27 | 13 | .675 | 5 | 12–8 | 13–7 | 14–6 | 2–3 |
5 | x – Seattle Storm | 25 | 15 | .625 | 7 | 13–7 | 14–6 | 11–9 | 4–1 |
6 | x – Indiana Fever | 20 | 20 | .500 | 12 | 11–9 | 12–8 | 8–12 | 3–2 |
7 | x – Phoenix Mercury | 19 | 21 | .475 | 13 | 10–10 | 10–10 | 9–11 | 3–2 |
8 | x – Atlanta Dream | 15 | 25 | .375 | 17 | 7–13 | 8–12 | 7–13 | 1–4 |
9 | e – Washington Mystics | 14 | 26 | .350 | 18 | 7–13 | 5–15 | 9–11 | 1–4 |
10 | e – Chicago Sky | 13 | 27 | .325 | 19 | 5–15 | 6–14 | 7–13 | 1–4 |
11 | e – Dallas Wings | 9 | 31 | .225 | 23 | 6–14 | 7–13 | 2–18 | 0–5 |
12 | e – Los Angeles Sparks | 8 | 32 | .200 | 24 | 5–15 | 5–15 | 3–17 | 2–3 |
Notes
Round One: Best-of-3 | Semifinals: Best-of-5 | Finals: Best-of-5 | ||||||||||||
1 | New York Liberty | 2 | ||||||||||||
8 | Atlanta Dream | 0 | ||||||||||||
1 | New York Liberty | 3 | ||||||||||||
4 | Las Vegas Aces | 1 | ||||||||||||
4 | Las Vegas Aces | 2 | ||||||||||||
5 | Seattle Storm | 0 | ||||||||||||
1 | New York Liberty | 3 | ||||||||||||
2 | Minnesota Lynx | 2 | ||||||||||||
2 | Minnesota Lynx | 2 | ||||||||||||
7 | Phoenix Mercury | 0 | ||||||||||||
2 | Minnesota Lynx | 3 | ||||||||||||
3 | Connecticut Sun | 2 | ||||||||||||
3 | Connecticut Sun | 2 | ||||||||||||
6 | Indiana Fever | 0 |
Bold: series winner
Legend | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game | RPG | Rebounds per game |
APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game | BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage | TO | Turnovers per game |
PF | Fouls per game | Team leader | League leader |
Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PF | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DeWanna Bonner | 40 | 39 | 31.8 | .414 | .294 | .832 | 6.0 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 15.0 |
Marina Mabrey ≠ | 16 | 3 | 27.4 | .467 | .424 | .682 | 3.5 | 3.3 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 2.5 | 14.9 |
Brionna Jones | 40 | 40 | 27.2 | .539 | .143 | .738 | 5.5 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 2.7 | 13.7 |
DiJonai Carrington | 39 | 39 | 29.6 | .403 | .250 | .790 | 5.0 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 1.9 | 2.6 | 12.7 |
Alyssa Thomas | 40 | 40 | 32.4 | .509 | .000 | .628 | 8.4 | 7.9 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 3.6 | 2.1 | 10.6 |
Tyasha Harris | 39 | 38 | 28.8 | .425 | .395 | .766 | 1.8 | 3.1 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 10.5 |
Tiffany Mitchell | 24 | 0 | 16.3 | .349 | .250 | .783 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 4.9 |
Rachel Banham † | 21 | 0 | 12.9 | .358 | .348 | .900 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 4.8 |
Olivia Nelson-Ododa | 37 | 0 | 11.8 | .495 | — | .659 | 2.5 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 3.4 |
Veronica Burton ≠ | 31 | 1 | 12.6 | .361 | .351 | .838 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 3.1 |
Moriah Jefferson † | 9 | 0 | 6.8 | .375 | .333 | 1.000 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 2.1 |
Astou Ndour-Fall | 22 | 0 | 4.2 | .346 | .200 | .833 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 1.1 |
Celeste Taylor ≠‡ | 2 | 0 | 5.5 | 1.000 | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 |
Queen Egbo ‡ | 3 | 0 | 2.3 | .000 | — | 1.000 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.7 |
Caitlin Bickle ≠ | 8 | 0 | 1.9 | .000 | .000 | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
‡Waived/Released during the season
†Traded during the season
≠Acquired during the season
Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PF | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DeWanna Bonner | 7 | 7 | 33.4 | .396 | .378 | .929 | 7.9 | 2.9 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 16.0 |
Marina Mabrey | 7 | 4 | 33.0 | .368 | .339 | .923 | 3.0 | 2.6 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 1.9 | 2.6 | 15.9 |
Alyssa Thomas | 7 | 7 | 38.7 | .495 | .000 | .778 | 7.9 | 9.4 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 14.9 |
DiJonai Carrington | 7 | 7 | 33.6 | .439 | .231 | .778 | 6.1 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 13.7 |
Brionna Jones | 7 | 7 | 19.9 | .482 | .000 | .769 | 3.6 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 9.1 |
Tyasha Harris | 5 | 3 | 16.4 | .500 | .600 | 1.000 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 6.4 |
Veronica Burton | 7 | 0 | 19.3 | .323 | .231 | .846 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 4.9 |
Olivia Nelson-Ododa | 7 | 0 | 9.7 | .667 | — | 1.000 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 2.9 |
Caitlin Bickle | 3 | 0 | 1.0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Astou Ndour-Fall | 3 | 0 | 1.0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Recipient | Award | Date awarded | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
DeWanna Bonner | Eastern Conference Player of the Week | May 28, 2024 | [24] |
WNBA All-Star | July 2, 2024 | [25] | |
DiJonai Carrington | Most Improved Player | September 25, 2024 | [26] |
WNBA All-Defensive First Team | September 29, 2024 | [27] | |
Brionna Jones | WNBA All-Star | July 2, 2024 | [25] |
Alyssa Thomas | Eastern Conference Player of the Week | May 21, 2024 | [28] |
Eastern Conference Player of the Month – May | June 3, 2024 | [29] | |
WNBA All-Star | July 2, 2024 | [25] | |
AP All-WNBA First Team | September 22, 2024 | [30] | |
WNBA All-Defensive First Team | September 29, 2024 | [27] | |
All-WNBA First Team | October 16, 2024 | [31] | |
Stephanie White | WNBA Coach of the Month – May | June 3, 2024 | [29] |