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WNBA team season
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 birth 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.
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.
2024 Connecticut Sun roster
Players
Coaches
Pos.
#
Nat.
Name
Height
Weight
DOB
From
Yrs
F
0
Bickle, Caitlin
6' 1" (1.85m)
–
2000-05-05
Baylor
R
G/F
24
Bonner, DeWanna
6' 4" (1.93m)
143 lb (65kg)
1987-08-21
Auburn
14
G
22
Burton, Veronica
5' 9" (1.75m)
155 lb (70kg)
07-12-2000
Northwestern
2
G/F
21
Carrington, DiJonai
5' 11" (1.8m)
175 lb (79kg)
1998-01-08
Baylor
3
G
52
Harris, Tyasha
5' 10" (1.78m)
152 lb (69kg)
1998-05-01
South Carolina
4
C
42
Jones, Brionna
6' 3" (1.91m)
210 lb (95kg)
12-18-1995
Maryland
7
G
4
Mabrey, Marina
5' 11" (1.8m)
170 lb (77kg)
1996-09-14
Notre Dame
5
G
3
Mitchell, Tiffany
5' 9" (1.75m)
152 lb (69kg)
1994-09-23
South Carolina
8
F/C
45
Ndour-Fall, Astou
6' 5" (1.96m)
169 lb (77kg)
08-22-1994
Spain
6
C
10
Nelson-Ododa, Olivia
6' 5" (1.96m)
173 lb (78kg)
08-17-2000
Connecticut
2
F
25
Thomas, Alyssa
6' 2" (1.88m)
185 lb (84kg)
1992-04-12
Maryland
10
G
Hsu, Abbey (DP)
5' 11" (1.8m)
–
03-22-2001
Columbia
G
Lacan, Leïla (DP)
5' 11" (1.8m)
–
06-02-2004
France
Head coach
Stephanie White (Purdue )
Assistant coaches
Abi Olajuwon (Oklahoma ) Briann January (Arizona State ) Austin Kelly (Duke )
Athletic trainer
Nicole Alexander
Strength and conditioning coach
Analisse Rios
Legend
(C) Team captain
(FA) Free agent
(IN) Inactive
(S) Suspended
Injured
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)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
8
June 2
@ Atlanta
W 69–50
DeWanna Bonner (18)
Alyssa Thomas (14)
Alyssa Thomas (11)
Gateway Center Arena 3,265
8–0
9
June 4
Washington
W 76–59
DeWanna Bonner (20)
DeWanna Bonner (8)
Alyssa Thomas (7)
Mohegan Sun Arena 5,346
9–0
10
June 8
New York
L 75–82
DeWanna Bonner (16)
Alyssa Thomas (12)
Alyssa Thomas (7)
Mohegan Sun Arena 8,910
9–1
11
June 10
Indiana
W 89–72
DiJonai Carrington (22)
Alyssa Thomas (18)
Alyssa Thomas (7)
Mohegan Sun Arena 8,910
10–1
12
June 12
@ Chicago
W 83–75
Alyssa Thomas (20)
DeWanna Bonner (8)
Tyasha Harris (7)
Wintrust Arena 7,815
11–1
13
June 15
@ Dallas
W 85–67
Rachel Banham (16)
Alyssa Thomas (9)
Alyssa Thomas (9)
College Park Center 5,977
12–1
14
June 18
Los Angeles
W 79–70
DeWanna Bonner (16)
Bonner, Thomas (7)
Alyssa Thomas (7)
Mohegan Sun Arena 7,853
13–1
15
June 21
@ Las Vegas
L 74–85
DiJonai Carrington (19)
Brionna Jones (7)
Alyssa Thomas (7)
Michelob Ultra Arena 10,385
13–2
16
June 23
@ Seattle
L 61–72
Jones, Thomas (14)
Alyssa Thomas (14)
Alyssa Thomas (3)
Climate Pledge Arena 9,935
13–3
17
June 27
@ Washington
W 94–91 (OT)
DeWanna Bonner (24)
DeWanna Bonner (10)
Alyssa Thomas (6)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 4,200
14–3
18
June 28
Atlanta
L 74–78
DeWanna Bonner (17)
Alyssa Thomas (7)
Alyssa Thomas (8)
Mohegan Sun Arena 7,008
14–4
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)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
32
September 1
Seattle
W 93–86
Brionna Jones (26)
Alyssa Thomas (8)
Alyssa Thomas (8)
Mohegan Sun Arena 8,910
24–8
33
September 3
Seattle
L 64–71
DeWanna Bonner (26)
Bonner, Carrington (7)
Harris , Thomas (7)
Mohegan Sun Arena 7,454
24–9
34
September 6
Las Vegas
L 67–72
Brionna Jones (17)
Alyssa Thomas (10)
Alyssa Thomas (8)
Mohegan Sun Arena 8,910
24–10
35
September 8
@ Los Angeles
W 79–67
Brionna Jones (21)
Alyssa Thomas (10)
Alyssa Thomas (11)
Crypto.com Arena 10,627
25–10
36
September 10
W 86–66
Marina Mabrey (26)
Alyssa Thomas (11)
Alyssa Thomas (12)
Crypto.com Arena 8,253
26–10
37
September 13
@ Phoenix
W 88–69
Brionna Jones (20)
Carrington, Jones (9)
Alyssa Thomas (11)
Footprint Center 14,190
27–10
38
September 15
@ Las Vegas
L 71–84
Marina Mabrey (18)
Brionna Jones (9)
Alyssa Thomas (7)
Michelob Ultra Arena 10,431
27–11
39
September 17
Minnesota
L 76–78
Alyssa Thomas (18)
Jones, Thomas (8)
Alyssa Thomas (10)
Mohegan Sun Arena 8,174
27–12
40
September 19
Chicago
W 87–54
Tyasha Harris (15)
DiJonai Carrington (12)
Alyssa Thomas (7)
Mohegan Sun Arena 8,092
28–12
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
Notes
(#) – League Standing
c – Commissioner's Cup winners
y – Regular Season Champion
x – Clinched playoff berth
e – Eliminated from playoff contention
Source: Overall standings and Commissioner's Cup Standings
Bold Series winner
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
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]
^ "2024 Schedule - Connecticut Sun" . Sun.wnba.com . WNBA . Retrieved February 19, 2024 .
^ CountedMeOutPodcast. "Ep 14: BREAKING NEWS Tiffany Hayes RETIRES from the WNBA, Playing In Atlanta & Entrepreneurship" . YouTube . YouTube.com. Retrieved 20 April 2024 .
^ a b c "WNBA Transactions" . acrossthetimeline.com . Across The Timeline. Retrieved 20 April 2024 .
^ Michael Voepel (January 31, 2024). "Lynx send Tiffany Mitchell, pick to Sun for Natisha Hiedeman" . ESPN . Retrieved March 1, 2024 .
^ "Rachel Banham Signs with Connecticut" . sun.wnba.com . WNBA . February 1, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024 .
^ "Rennia Davis, Kianna Smith and Sydney Wiese Sign with the Sun" . sun.wnba.com . WNBA . February 3, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024 .
^ Philippou, Alexa (February 3, 2024). "Sun trading Rebecca Allen to Mercury for Moriah Jefferson" . ESPN . Retrieved February 19, 2024 .
^ "WNBA Champion Astou Ndour-Fall Signs with Connecticut" . sun.wnba.com . WNBA . February 3, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024 .
^ "Brionna Jones Re-Signs with Connecticut Sun" . sun.wnba.com . WNBA . February 5, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024 .
^ "Five-Time WNBA All-Star, DeWanna Bonner, Re-Signs with Connecticut" . sun.wnba.com . WNBA . February 6, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024 .
^ "Shey Peddy Signs with the Connecticut Sun" . sun.wnba.com . WNBA . February 16, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024 .
^ "Jocelyn Willoughby Signs with the Connecticut Sun" . sun.wnba.com . WNBA . February 19, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024 .
^ "Connecticut Sun Waives Kianna Smith" . sun.wnba.com . WNBA . May 1, 2024. Retrieved May 1, 2024 .
^ "Connecticut Sun Waives Leigha Brown, Rennia Davis and Shey Peddy" . sun.wnba.com . WNBA . May 5, 2024. Retrieved May 5, 2024 .
^ "Connecticut Sun Acquires Queen Egbo" . WNBA . May 7, 2024.
^ "Connecticut Sun Waives Taiyanna Jackson and Helena Pueyo" . WNBA . May 10, 2024.
^ "Connecticut Sun Waives Sydney Wiese and Jocelyn Willoughby" . WNBA . May 13, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2024 .
^ "Connecticut Sun Exercise Olivia Nelson-Ododa's Fourth-Year Rookie Scale Option" . sun.wnba.com . WNBA . Retrieved 15 May 2024 .
^ "Connecticut Sun Waives Queen Egbo" . sun.wnba.com . WNBA . June 5, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024 .
^ "Connecticut Sun Signs Veronica Burton" . sun.wnba.com . WNBA . June 5, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024 .
^ "Connecticut Sun Acquires Veteran Guard Marina Mabrey" . WNBA . July 17, 2024. Retrieved July 17, 2024 .
^ "Connecticut Sun Signs Caitlin Bickle" . sun.wnba.com . WNBA . July 20, 2024. Retrieved July 22, 2024 .
^ "Connecticut Sun Signs Celeste Taylor" . sun.wnba.com . WNBA . August 16, 2024. Retrieved August 16, 2024 .
^ "Sun star DeWanna Bonner wins WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week" . nbcsportsboston.com . NBC Sports . May 28, 2024. Retrieved May 28, 2024 .
^ a b c "Rosters Set for AT&T WNBA All-Star 2024 on July 20" . WNBA (Press release). July 2, 2024.
^ "Sun guard DiJonai Carrington wins WNBA Most Improved Player award" . ESPN . Associated Press. September 25, 2024. Retrieved September 25, 2024 .
^ a b Maloney, Jack (September 29, 2024). "WNBA Defensive Player of the Year: Lynx's Napheesa Collier edges Aces star A'ja Wilson for first honor" . CBS Sports . Retrieved September 29, 2024 .
^ "Alyssa Thomas Named WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week- 5/14-5/19" . sun.wnba.com . WNBA . May 21, 2024. Retrieved May 21, 2024 .
^ a b Goss, Nick (June 3, 2024). "Sun star Alyssa Thomas, coach Stephanie White earn WNBA awards for May" . sports.yahoo.com . NBC Sports Boston . Retrieved June 3, 2024 .
^ Feinberg, Doug (September 22, 2024). "A'ja Wilson and Caitlin Clark are unanimous choices for WNBA AP Player and Rookie of the Year" . Associated Press . Retrieved September 22, 2024 .
^ "Fever's Caitlin Clark, Aces' A'ja Wilson named All-WNBA" . ESPN . October 16, 2024. Retrieved October 16, 2024 .
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